incentive

[ in-sen-tiv ]
/ ɪnˈsɛn tɪv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR incentive ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a reward offered for increased productivity.

adjective

inciting, as to action; stimulating; provocative.

Origin of incentive

1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin incentīvus provocative, Latin: setting the tune, equivalent to incent(us) (past participle of incinere to play (an instrument, tunes); in- in-2 + -cinere, combining form of canere to sing) + -īvus -ive

synonym study for incentive

1. See motive.

OTHER WORDS FROM incentive

Words nearby incentive

incense, incense cedar, incense tree, incensory, incenter, incentive, incentive pay, incentive travel, incentivize, incept, inception

Words related to incentive

motivation, stimulus, impetus, encouragement, reason, enticement, bait, provocation, spring, influence, motive, insistence, whip, ground, temptation, come-on, goad, exhortation, stimulation, persuasion

Example sentences from the Web for incentive

British Dictionary definitions for incentive

incentive
/ (ɪnˈsɛntɪv) /

noun

a motivating influence; stimulus
  1. an additional payment made to employees as a means of increasing production
  2. (as modifier)an incentive scheme

adjective

serving to incite to action

Derived forms of incentive

incentively, adverb

Word Origin for incentive

C15: from Late Latin incentīvus (adj), from Latin: striking up, setting the tune, from incinere to sing, from in- ² + canere to sing