well-paid
Meaning
Receiving a good salary or high wages for work done.
Structure
Usage
She moved to the city for a well-paid job in the finance sector.
Skilled technicians are often well-paid due to high demand.
The position is challenging but well-paid, with excellent benefits.
Etymology
The compound adjective 'well-paid' is a transparent combination of two English elements. The adverb 'well', with ancient Germanic roots meaning "according to one's wish" and thus "satisfactorily," is used to intensify or specify the condition described by the adjective 'paid'. 'Paid' originates from the Latin verb pacare (to pacify, appease), reflecting the historical concept of settling or satisfying a debt or obligation. Over centuries, this evolved through Old French into the English financial sense of giving money for services or goods. The fusion of these concepts in the 19th century created a succinct descriptor for labor that is financially rewarding, directly linking the satisfactory manner ('well') with the state of having received remuneration ('paid').
Analysis
- well: From Old English wel, meaning "in a good manner, satisfactorily." It functions as an adverb modifying the adjective 'paid'. - paid: The past participle of the verb 'pay', from Old French paier, ultimately from Latin pacare meaning "to pacify, satisfy (a debt)." It functions as the core adjective meaning "having received payment."