expense
UK[ɪkˈspɛns]US[ɪkˈspɛns]
n
The money that you have to spend on something; cost.
n
Something that makes you spend money.
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
pense
ex
out
pense
weigh
Etymology
The word "expense" originates from the Latin expensa, the feminine past participle of expendere, meaning "to weigh out, to pay out." This verb itself is a compound of ex- ("out") and pendere ("to weigh"), reflecting the ancient practice of weighing precious metals to make a payment. The core logic evolved from the literal act of weighing out money for a purpose to the more abstract concept of any cost or outlay of funds. Over time, it broadened from the specific act of paying to encompass the general idea of anything on which money is spent.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + pense (weigh)
- ex: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "out, out of, thoroughly."
- pense: From Latin pensus, the past participle stem of pendere meaning "to weigh, to pay."
Examples
The company is trying to cut down on unnecessary expenses.
The trip was a significant expense, but it was worth it.
Running a car is a major household expense.