pittance: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal
Quick answer
What does “pittance” mean?
A very small or inadequate amount of money paid for work done, or given as an allowance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A very small or inadequate amount of money paid for work done, or given as an allowance.
Any meager or insufficient amount, especially of money, often implying that it is unfairly small for the effort or work required.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in definition. The word is used and understood the same way in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical. Strong connotation of unfairness and insufficiency.
Frequency
Slightly more common in UK English in written or formal contexts, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “pittance” in a Sentence
to be paid a pittanceto earn/earns/earning a pittanceto work for (a) pittanceto live on (a) pittancea pittance of [sum]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “pittance” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as an adjective.
American English
- Not applicable as an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in discussions about unfair compensation, low wages, and labour issues.
Academic
Found in sociological, economic, or historical texts discussing wages, poverty, and social justice.
Everyday
Used to complain about one's pay or to criticise someone else's low remuneration.
Technical
Not a technical term, but can appear in legal or HR contexts concerning minimum wage disputes.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “pittance”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “pittance”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pittance”
- Using it as a countable noun without 'a' (e.g., 'He paid pittance'). Correct: 'He paid a pittance.'
- Using it for things other than money (e.g., 'a pittance of time' is non-standard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rarely and non-standardly. Its primary and almost exclusive use is for a very small amount of money, especially wages. Using it for time, food, etc., is considered a metaphorical extension and is uncommon.
It is formal or semi-formal. It is more common in writing, speeches, and serious discussion than in casual chat. In informal speech, synonyms like 'peanuts' or 'chicken feed' are more frequent.
It comes from Old French 'pitance', meaning a pious donation or allowance of food, especially in a monastery, ultimately from Latin 'pietas' (piety). The meaning shifted to emphasize the smallness of the allowance.
Yes, absolutely. It is a critical, emotive word. Calling a payment a pittance means you consider it insultingly, unfairly, or cruelly small. It is not a neutral term like 'small sum'.
A very small or inadequate amount of money paid for work done, or given as an allowance.
Pittance: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɪt(ə)ns/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɪtns/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A pittance of a salary”
- “To work for a pittance”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a tiny PIT, and you are trying to live on the single small coin (PENNY) you find at the bottom. PIT + PENNY = PITTANCE (a tiny amount to live on).
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS FOOD (a pittance is starvation-level food). INSUFFICIENCY IS SMALLNESS.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'pittance' LEAST likely to be used?