What does remuneration mean?
Remuneration means payment or other compensation for work, services, or effort. It is a formal term frequently encountered in employment contracts, remuneration policies, professional appointments, legal settlements, and business discussions. Unlike “salary,” which usually denotes a fixed regular payment for an employee, remuneration can include a broader range of compensation, such as fees, bonuses, commission, allowances, or benefits. The word can also refer more generally to the act of rewarding someone for their contribution. Its use often suggests an institutional or professional context and may imply consideration of fairness, adequacy, and the terms attached to payment. In everyday conversation, people are more likely to say “pay,” “payment,” or “compensation,” but “remuneration” is useful when a precise or formal term is needed. It is especially common in British business and legal usage, though it is also standard in American professional and legal contexts.
Payment, compensation, or a reward received for work, services, or effort.
"The role offers attractive remuneration and an excellent benefits package."
A formal and broadly applicable term used in professional, legal, governmental, and business contexts.
The act of rewarding or compensating someone for work or a contribution.
"The scheme provides remuneration for volunteers who contribute hundreds of hours each year."
This sense is somewhat less common than the sense referring to the payment itself.
The plural is used when referring to different payments or forms of compensation awarded to multiple people.
"The report compares the remunerations of senior executives across several public institutions."
Remuneration can describe a salary, but it may also include bonuses, fees, commission, or any other payment for work.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does remuneration come from?
Remuneration comes from Latin remūnerātiō, a noun meaning “reward” or “payment,” derived from remūnerāre, “to reward” or “to pay.” That verb is formed from re-, meaning “back” or “again,” and mūnus, meaning “gift,” reflecting the idea of returning a gift or giving something in return for service or effort. English borrowed the Latin-derived forms during the early 19th century, as reflected in related words such as “remunerate” and “remunerative.”
Related word forms
How remuneration is actually used
A formal term common in business, law, government, and professional settings. It is broader than “salary” and may refer to salary, fees, bonuses, commission, or other compensation. In some European languages and jurisdictions, it is also used more narrowly to mean pay or salary.