wage
/weɪdʒ/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*wadjaną — to pledge, to bind
Overview
Meaning Now
- A fixed regular payment, typically paid on a daily or weekly basis, made by an employer to an employee.
- A pledge or payment given as a security, especially for the performance of a duty or in the context of a challenge.
Literal older meaning
a pledge or promise
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old Northern French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
wage
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The word originally entered English via Anglo-French in the context of legal pledges or 'wagers'. The semantic extension to monetary compensation for labor occurred in the late Middle Ages, initially implying a payment made to soldiers or retainers for their service.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*wadjaną
“to pledge”
- Frankish
*wadiare
“to pledge/guarantee”
- Old Northern French
wager
“to pledge, to wager”
- Middle English
wage
“payment, pledge”
Transition from legal 'pledge' to 'payment for services'
Connections
Word parts
wage
root
to pledge
Related across languages
German
Wette
bet, wager
Old English
wedd
pledge
Related words
Explore next
Related to wage
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.