payee
UK[peɪˈiː]US[peɪˈiː]
n
A person to whom money is paid or is to be paid.
Morpheme Breakdown
pay
ee
pay
to appease, pacify
ee
Etymology
The word 'payee' is a relatively modern legal and financial term formed within English. It combines the verb 'pay', which traces back to the Latin 'pacare' (to pacify or satisfy, as in satisfying a debt), with the agentive suffix '-ee', borrowed from Anglo-French legal language. This suffix specifically indicates the passive recipient of an action, contrasting with the active '-er' suffix. Thus, the literal construction "one who is paid" logically and directly yields the modern meaning of the person receiving a payment, perfectly capturing the transactional relationship.
Analysis
Structure: pay + ee
- pay: From Old French 'paier', from Latin 'pacare' meaning 'to appease, pacify'. In this word, it functions as the verb root meaning 'to give money'.
- ee: A suffix of Anglo-French origin, from the past participle ending '-é' of Old French, used to form nouns denoting the person who is the object or beneficiary of an action.
Examples
The check was made out to the payee listed on the invoice.
Please ensure the payee's name is spelled correctly on the money order.
As the payee, you must endorse the back of the draft before depositing it.