Dictionary

incentive en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈsɛntɪv/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Medieval Latin incentīvus (“that strikes up or sets the tune”), from incinō (“to strike up”), from in- (“in, on”) + canō (“to sing”) + -ive. The formation appears to have been influenced by incendō (“to set on fire”).

Meanings

1. Inciting; encouraging or moving; rousing to action; stimulating.
   • Competency is of all other proportions the most incentive to industry. 1667, attributed to Richard Allestree, The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety. […], London: […] R. Norton for T. Garthwait, […], →OCLC:
2. Serving to kindle or set on fire.
   • Part incentive reed / Provide, pernicious with one touch of fire. 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

Forms

incentive en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈsɛntɪv/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Medieval Latin incentīvus (“that strikes up or sets the tune”), from incinō (“to strike up”), from in- (“in, on”) + canō (“to sing”) + -ive. The formation appears to have been influenced by incendō (“to set on fire”).

Meanings

1. Something that motivates, rouses, or encourages.
   • I have no incentive to do housework right now.
   • It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […]. 2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:
2. A bonus or reward, often monetary, to work harder.
   • Management offered the sales team a $500 incentive for each car sold.

Forms

Antonyms

disincentive

Deriveds

tax incentive · incentivize · incent · incentively · nonincentive · counterincentive · eco-incentive · incentivise · incentiveless · incentify · misincentive

Descendants

Incentive

Synonyms

carrot

Translations (97)

ro stimulent (something that motivates) · de Anreiz (something that motivates) · da gulerod (something that motivates) · ru поощре́ние (cash bonus) · tr teşvik (something that motivates) · ca incentiu (something that motivates) · th สิ่งจูงใจ (something that motivates) · tr teşvik primi (cash bonus) · it incentivo (something that motivates) · ja 報酬 (cash bonus) · ga spreagadh (something that motivates) · fi porkkana (something that motivates) · es aliciente (something that motivates) · el κίνητρο (something that motivates) · cmn 刺激 (something that motivates) · sv morot (something that motivates) · fi kannuste (something that motivates) · fi kannustin (something that motivates) · pl zachęta (something that motivates) · ru вознагражде́ние (cash bonus) · ka მოტივატორი (something that motivates) · ru мотива́ция (something that motivates) · cmn 獎勵 /奖励 (cash bonus) · fi palkkio (cash bonus) · pl premia (cash bonus) · bg подбуда (something that motivates) · bcl tandan (cash bonus) · ru сти́мул (something that motivates) · cmn 誘因 /诱因 (something that motivates) · uk сти́мул (something that motivates) · eo stimulo (something that motivates) · nl stimulans (something that motivates) · bg премия (cash bonus) · ja 誘因 (something that motivates) · ru пре́мия (cash bonus) · fi kiihoke (something that motivates) · uk винагоро́да (cash bonus) · id insentif (cash bonus) · ja 刺激 (something that motivates) · fi tulospalkkio (cash bonus) · cmn 報酬 /报酬 (cash bonus) · pt incentivo (something that motivates) · he תמריץ (cash bonus) · uk бо́нус (cash bonus) · sl spodbuda (something that motivates) · bg стимул (something that motivates) · ru толчо́к (something that motivates) · eo motivigo (something that motivates) · hu ösztönzés (something that motivates) · de Bonus (cash bonus) · da incitament (something that motivates) · fr motivation (something that motivates) · de Incentive (something that motivates) · pt incentivo (cash bonus) · fr récompense (cash bonus) · fi insentiivi (something that motivates) · uk спону́ка (something that motivates) · pl bonus (cash bonus) · nl drijfveer (something that motivates) · pl bodziec (something that motivates) · es incentivo (cash bonus) · ru поощре́ние (something that motivates) · de Ansporn (something that motivates) · hu ösztönző (something that motivates) · ru моти́в (something that motivates) · fi yllyke (something that motivates) · nl aansporing (something that motivates) · bcl tandan (something that motivates) · sv incitament (something that motivates) · ka სტიმულატორი (something that motivates) · hu ösztönző (cash bonus) · la incitāmentum (something that motivates) · pt motivação (something that motivates) · eo konvinkilo (something that motivates) · fi kannustuspalkkio (cash bonus) · eo igilo (something that motivates) · fi virike (something that motivates) · fi bonus (cash bonus) · nl incentief (something that motivates) · fr intérêt (something that motivates) · uk пре́мія (cash bonus) · sl motivacija (something that motivates) · uk заохо́чення (cash bonus) · es incentivo (something that motivates) · mi whakapoapoa (something that motivates) · cs pobídka (cash bonus) · ja 動機 (something that motivates) · ja 賞与 (cash bonus) · nl bonus (cash bonus) · fr incitant (something that motivates) · ru бо́нус (cash bonus) · fa مشوق (something that motivates) · he תמריץ (something that motivates) · fr prime (cash bonus) · nl prikkel (something that motivates) · ca incentiu (cash bonus) · nl premie (cash bonus)