Incentive Meaning
/ɪnˈsɛntɪv/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounSomething that motivates, rouses, or encourages.
nounA bonus or reward, often monetary, to work harder.
Sentence Examples
We lack an incentive for pursuing the eastern market.
Promotion was an incentive to harder work.
There is no incentive for people to save fuel.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The company offered a cash ____ to employees who exceeded their sales targets.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The company offers a generous bonus as an ____ for employees to meet their sales targets.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
"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:
"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:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The company offered a cash ____ to employees who exceeded their sales targets.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The company offers a generous bonus as an ____ for employees to meet their sales targets.