higher-paid
UK[ˌhaɪ.ə ˈpeɪd]US[ˌhaɪ.ər ˈpeɪd]
adj
Receiving or involving a greater amount of money as payment for work.
Morpheme Breakdown
high
er
paid
high
elevated
er
comparative suffix
paid
compensated
Etymology
The compound adjective 'higher-paid' is a modern English formation that logically combines established grammatical and lexical elements. The first element utilizes the native English comparative form 'higher', derived from the Proto-Germanic root hauhaz, meaning tall or elevated, which metaphorically extends to degree or amount. This is attached to the past participle 'paid', a word with a rich history stemming from the Latin concept of pacification (pacare)—settling a debt brings peace. Thus, the term's literal construction, "more highly paid," transparently conveys its meaning of receiving a greater financial settlement for services rendered.
Analysis
Structure: high (elevated) + er (comparative suffix) + paid (compensated)
- high: From Old English hēah, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hoog and German hoch. Functions as the base adjective.
- er: A comparative suffix from Old English -ra, used to form the comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs.
- paid: Past participle of the verb pay, from Old French paier, from Latin pacare 'to appease', from pax, pac- 'peace'. Functions as the second element in the compound, indicating the state of having received payment.
Examples
The company is struggling to retain higher-paid executives.
There is a growing gap between lower-paid and higher-paid workers in the industry.
The new contract includes provisions for higher-paid positions to receive different benefits.