pay

English

/peɪ/

verb
Definitions
  • (transitive) To give money or other compensation to in exchange for goods or services.
  • (ambitransitive) To discharge, as a debt or other obligation, by giving or doing what is due or required.
  • (transitive) To be profitable for.
  • (transitive) To give (something else than money).
  • (intransitive) To be profitable or worth the effort.
  • (intransitive) To discharge an obligation or debt.
  • (intransitive) To suffer consequences.
  • (transitive) To admit that a joke, punchline, etc., was funny.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English payen derived from Old French paiier (pay) derived from Latin pācāre, pacare, paco (pacify).

Origin

Latin

pacare, paco

Gloss

pacify

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms