emolument
UK[ɪˈmɒljʊmənt]US[ɪˈmɑːljʊmənt]
n
A salary, fee, or profit from employment or office.
Morpheme Breakdown
e
mol
ument
e
out
mol
grind
ument
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'emolument' originates from the Latin 'emolumentum', which meant 'profit' or 'gain'. This Latin term derived from the verb 'emolere', meaning 'to grind out', composed of 'e-' (out) and 'molere' (to grind). The literal sense was likely related to the profit a miller earned from grinding grain. Over time, the meaning broadened from this specific, tangible gain to signify any form of compensation, fee, or advantage obtained from one's labor or position, solidifying its modern abstract sense of payment for work.
Analysis
Structure: e (out) + mol (grind) + ument (noun suffix)
e: Latin prefix, a variant of 'ex-', meaning 'out'.
mol: Latin root from 'molere', meaning 'to grind'.
ument: Latin noun-forming suffix '-mentum', indicating the means or result of an action.
Examples
The position offers a modest salary along with certain emoluments such as a company car.
His total emoluments for the year were disclosed in the annual report.
Beyond the basic wage, the emoluments of the job included a generous pension scheme.