payroll
UK[ˈpeɪrəʊl]US[ˈpeɪroʊl]
n
A list of a company's employees and the amount of money they are to be paid.
n
The total amount of money paid to the employees of a company.
Morpheme Breakdown
pay
roll
pay
to appease, satisfy (a creditor)
roll
a small wheel, a roll of parchment
Etymology
The word 'payroll' is a transparent compound formed from two English words, 'pay' and 'roll'. Its logic is directly literal: a 'roll' (a list) of those to be 'paid'. The term 'roll' for a list originates from the medieval practice of recording names on a rolled parchment scroll. 'Pay' has a deeper history, evolving from the Latin 'pacare' (to pacify or satisfy), reflecting the idea of settling a debt or obligation. By the 18th century, the compound 'payroll' emerged in business English, perfectly encapsulating its function as the definitive register for employee compensation.
Analysis
Structure: pay + roll
- pay (from Old French 'paier', from Latin 'pacare' meaning "to appease, satisfy (a creditor)"). Functional role: The core semantic element denoting the act of giving money for work or services.
- roll (from Old French 'rolle', from Latin 'rotulus' meaning "a small wheel, a roll of parchment"). Functional role: A nominal element referring to a list or register, originally one written on a rolled-up piece of parchment.
Examples
The new intern's name was added to the company payroll.
Managing the payroll is one of the key responsibilities of the HR department.
The business struggled to meet its payroll during the economic downturn.