Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pension

/ˈpɛnʃən/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.22 in modern English

Syllables
pen-sion
IPA
/ˈpɛnʃən/
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An annuity paid regularly as benefit due to a retired employee, serviceman etc. in consideration of past services, originally and chiefly by a government but also by various private pension schemes.

noun

A wage or fee.

Obsolete

noun

A charge or expense of some kind; a tax.

Obsolete

noun

A sum paid to a clergyman in place of tithes.

noun

A regular allowance paid to support a royal favourite, or as patronage of an artist or scholar.

verb

To grant a pension to.

Transitive verb

verb

To force (someone) to retire on a pension.

Transitive verb

noun

A boarding house or small hotel, especially in continental Europe, which typically offers lodging and certain meals and services.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English pencioun, pensioun, from Anglo-Norman pencione, Old French pencion, and their source, Latin pēnsiō (“payment, weight, rent, compensation”), from the participle stem of pendō (“to weigh”). Doublet of pensione.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *(s)pend-, pencioun, pencione, pencion, pēnsiō, pension

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈpɛnʃən/
  • British English: /ˈpɛnʃən/

Usage

Inflected Forms

pensions (plural) pensions (present, singular) pensioning (participle, present) pensioned (participle, past) pensioned (past)

Derived Forms

outpension pensionary pensionee pensioneering pensioner pensionless pensionable

Phrases

full pension old age pension pension book pension fund pension house pension plan preserved pension top-hat pension

Frequently Paired Words

inn motel hotel board half-board full-board

Synonyms

superannuation rent pension off hotel hostel bed and breakfast lodging place

Rhymes With

attention mention convention extension prevention intervention suspension tension non-intervention invention dimension detention

Questions

How do you pronounce pension?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpɛnʃən/.
What does pension mean?
An annuity paid regularly as benefit due to a retired employee, serviceman etc. in consideration of past services, originally and chiefly by a government but also by various private pension schemes.
Where does pension come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce pension

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pension”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈpɛnʃən/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “pension”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “pension” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.