earner
B1Neutral to formal; common in business, economics, and everyday financial contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A person or thing that earns money; a source of income.
Someone who achieves a particular result through effort, as in 'a hard-earner' (though less common).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes a person who receives payment for work. Can also refer to a job, investment, or asset that generates revenue.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage.
Connotations
Slightly more formal than 'breadwinner' in both variants. In finance, 'top earner' is common. In UK, 'good little earner' is a colloquial phrase for a profitable venture.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK media and business reporting, but common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[adjective] + earner[possessive] + earnerearner + of + [sum/income]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A good little earner”
- “The top earner on the list”
- “Not exactly a big earner”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to high-performing employees, profitable products, or divisions.
Academic
Used in economics and sociology discussions of income distribution.
Everyday
Common in discussions about household finances and jobs.
Technical
In tax codes and government statistics (e.g., 'standard rate earner').
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The new streaming service became a significant earner for the media group.
- As the main earner, she felt the pressure of the mortgage.
American English
- He's the top earner on the baseball team this season.
- The franchise is a reliable earner for the parent company.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My father is the main earner in our family.
- She got a job and is now an earner.
- The government introduced a new tax for high earners.
- This blog has become a small but steady earner.
- The film was a surprise box-office earner, outperforming all expectations.
- Gig economy earners often lack job security.
- The consultancy firm's restructuring aimed to retain its top earners while streamlining support staff.
- For a dual-earner household, efficient tax planning is crucial.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'earn' + '-er'. An 'earnER' is one who DOES the earning.
Conceptual Metaphor
INCOME IS A FLUID (top earner, trickle-down), STATUS IS HEIGHT (high earner, low earner).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from 'зарабатывающий' as a noun in all contexts; 'earner' is more specific.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'earner' for non-financial gains (e.g., 'an earner of respect'). Overusing as a direct synonym for 'worker'.
Practice
Quiz
In which phrase is 'earner' used most idiomatically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can refer to anything that generates income (e.g., a product, an investment).
'Breadwinner' specifically means the primary financial supporter of a family. 'Earner' is broader and less emotionally loaded.
It's grammatically correct but sounds slightly formal or clinical. 'I have a job' or 'I earn a salary' is more natural in everyday conversation.
It can be sensitive. In formal or policy contexts (e.g., 'tax relief for low earners'), it's standard. In personal conversation, phrases like 'on a lower income' are often preferred.