The Meaning of Stipend: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of stipend? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word stipend, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What does the word stipend mean?

According to the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, American Heritage, and Collins English Dictionary, the word stipend is a noun that refers to some fixed sum or amount of money paid for services or expenses. As opposed to a weekly, biweekly, or monthly paycheck, a stipend is a lump sum paid out all at once. This might be used for a scholarship, wages for an internship, or a fee for living expenses. Employees or trainees at an apprenticeship or camp might receive this fixed sum of money instead of receiving paychecks. Some people prefer it when companies offer stipends, but others prefer a regular amount of money every periodic payment window. Often, graduate students are paid a stipend for their teaching assistant or instruction positions. The type of stipend varies from place to place – some are specific to the terms of a task like a scholarship, while others simply give a wage with no strings. The pronunciation of stipend is ˈstaɪpɛnd.

Many different languages also have words that mean stipend. As you look at the below list of translations of stipend provided by Word Sense, you may notice that some of these words look similar to the word stipend. These are often formed when two words have the same root or language of origin and are called cognates.

  •  Scottish Gaelic: tuarasdal‎ (masc.)
  •  Armenian: թոշակ‎, նպաստ‎
  •  Hungarian: illetmény‎
  •  Spanish: estipendio‎ (masc.), salario‎ (masc.)
  •  Persian: مقرری‎ (moqarrari)
  •  Finnish: palkkio‎, korvaus‎
  •  Korean: 급료‎, 봉급‎, 수당‎
  •  Russian: посо́бие‎ (neut.), (scholarship) стипе́ндия‎
  •  Greek: μισθός‎ (masc.)
  •  German: Besoldung‎ (fem.), Gehalt‎ (neut.), Stipendium‎ (neut.)
  •  Icelandic: framfærslufé‎ (neut.), lífeyrir‎ (masc.), styrkur‎ (masc.), (a scholarship) námsstyrkur‎ (masc.)
  •  Italian: stipendio‎ (masc.), salario‎ (masc.)
  •  French: rente‎ (fem.)

How can the word stipend be used in a sentence?

The word stipend can be used in many different ways in the English language. Using words in a sentence is a great way to memorize their definitions. You can also try making flashcards or quizzes for yourself and testing your knowledge. Try using this word of the day in a sentence today! Below are examples of stipend.

The camp counselor realized that her stipend was paying her less than minimum wage, and did not include employee benefits or health insurance. Her friends were making much more on a permanent salary for similar work. She decided to use discretion and quit her job in lieu of working for a place with accreditation.

She agreed to the fixed payment of a stipend for her fellowship allowance rather than a biweekly payment. She had some debts to pay off that were due soon, and she could manage the rest of her expenses with her other job’s salary. She decided to use her stipend for this specific purpose.

The boy thought it would be smart to receive his stipend from his academic institutions all at once rather than receiving them on a regular basis for the purposes of his taxable income and tax return, but by the end of the year he was left with no money.

The training programs provided the workers with a small payment on regular intervals, but the academic research advisors received a stipend at the beginning of the semester. There were pros and cons to both – the workers received overtime pay, but made a lower salary overall.

What is the origin of the word stipend?

According to Etymonline, a stipend was originally used to refer to a soldier’s payment in the early 15th century. This comes from the Latin stipendium meaning a tax or tribute, or to refer to military salary. This comes from the Latin stips meaning alms of gift, and the Latin pendere meaning to weigh, pay or hang. This comes from Proto-Indo-European roots, namely spen meaning to staw or stretch. The first element is related to the Latin stipes  meaning log or trunk of a tree. This has been used as a very since the late 15th century, and related words include pound, stipe, and stipendiary.

What are synonyms and antonyms for the word stipend?

There are severely different words that a person can use in place of the word stipend. These are called synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same definition as a given word or phrase. Synonyms are useful to know if you are trying to expand your vocabulary or avoid repeating yourself. This list of synonyms for stipend is provided by Thesaurus.

  •  pay
  •  salary
  •  take
  •  fee
  •  allowance
  •  consideration
  •  award
  •  gratuity
  •  pension
  •  wage
  •  emolument
  •  hire

There are also numerous different words that have the opposite meaning of the word stipend. These opposite words are called antonyms, which are another great way to expand your vocabulary. These antonyms of stipend are also provided by Thesaurus

  •  debenture
  •  receipt
  •  chit
  •  arrears
  •  claim
  •  cuff
  •  indebtedness
  •  capital
  •  mortgage
  •  bite
  •  baggage
  •  outstandings
  •  damage
  •  bad news
  •  tab
  •  arrearage
  •  due
  •  albatross
  •  price tag
  •  red ink
  •  in hock
  •  reckoning
  •  voucher
  •  bill
  •  obligation
  •  deficit
  •  IOU
  •  in the red
  •  commitment
  •  liability
  •  debt
  •  invoice
  •  in the hole
  •  dead horse
  •  below the line
  •  credit
  •  duty
  •  debit
  •  check
  •  promissory note
  •  manifest
  •  responsibility
  •  encumbrance
  •  dues
  •  score
  •  tally
  •  note

Overall, the word stipend refers to an allowance or lump sum of money that is paid out in opposition to a periodic payment at regular intervals. This word comes from the Middle English stipendie, Old French stipende and Latin stīpendium tax. Try using this word of the day in a sentence today to memorize its definition!

Sources:

  1. stipend: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
  2. STIPEND Synonyms: 13 Synonyms & Antonyms for STIPEND | Thesaurus 
  3. DEBT Synonyms: 51 Synonyms & Antonyms for DEBT | Thesaurus 
  4. stipend | Origin and meaning of stipend | Online Etymology Dictionary 
  5. Stipend | Definition of Stipend | Merriam-Webster