incentive

in·cen·tive

Use incentive in a sentence

adjective

The definition of incentive is something that makes someone want to do something or work harder.
An example of incentive is extra money offered to those employees who work extra hours on a project.

noun

Incentive is defined as something that encourages someone to do something or work harder.
An example of incentive is an ice cold beer at the end of a long bike ride.

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MLA Style

"incentive." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Incentive>.

APA Style

incentive. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Incentive

incentive

stimulating one to take action, work harder, etc.; encouraging, motivating, etc.

Origin of incentive

Middle English from Late Latin incentivum from neuter past participle of Classical Latin incinere, to sing from in-, in, on + canere, to sing: see chant

something that stimulates one to take action, work harder, etc.; stimulus

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Link to this page

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MLA Style

"incentive." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Incentive>.

APA Style

incentive. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Incentive

incentive

noun

Something, such as the fear of punishment or the expectation of reward, that induces action or motivates effort.

adjective

Serving to induce or motivate: an incentive bonus for high productivity.

Origin of incentive

Middle English from Late Latin incentīvum from neuter of incentīvus inciting from Latin setting the tune from incentus past participle of incinere to sound in- intensive pref. ; see in- ². canere to sing ; see kan- in Indo-European roots.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"incentive." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Incentive>.

APA Style

incentive. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Incentive

Noun

(plural incentives)

Something that motivates, rouses, or encourages.
I have no incentive to do housework right now.
A bonus or reward, often monetary, to work harder.
Management offered the sales team a $500 incentive for each car sold.

Adjective

(comparative more incentive, superlative most incentive)

Inciting; encouraging or moving; rousing to action; stimulating.
Serving to kindle or set on fire.

Origin

From Medieval Latin incentivus (“that strikes up or sets the tune”), from incinere (“to strike up”), from in (“in, on”) + canere (“to sing”). The formation appears to have been influenced by incendere ' to set on fire'.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.