stipend
/ˈstaɪpɛnd/
noun
Origin
Latin
stipendium — tax, tribute, soldier's pay
Overview
Meaning Now
- A fixed regular sum paid as a salary or allowance, especially to a member of the clergy, a student, or an intern.
Literal older meaning
a weight payment
Language path
Latin → Middle English → English
Earliest form
stipend
Earliest period
15th century
Journey
The word originated in Roman military tradition. Soldiers were paid in fixed amounts, and the Latin word 'stipendium' specifically referred to the pay given to a soldier (from 'stips', a gift or coin, and 'pendere', to weigh). It evolved from describing military wages to denote any fixed, recurring payment made to someone for services or support, particularly in academic or ecclesiastical contexts.
Evolution
- Latin
stips
“small coin, gift, donation”
- Latin
stipendium
“soldier's pay, tax”
compound of stips + pendere (to weigh)
- Late Middle English
stipende
“a settled salary or allowance”
borrowed directly from Latin
Connections
Word parts
stips
root
small coin/gift
pendere
root
to weigh/pay
Related across languages
French
stipendre
to pay (obsolete form)
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Related to stipend
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.