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Added 9 October 2026

income

/ˈɪnˌkʌm/ noun

In Latin: reditus, fructus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about income at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Money one earns by working or by capitalising on the work of others.
Money coming in to a fund, account, or policy.
A coming in; arrival; entrance; introduction.

Origin

From Middle English income, perhaps continuing (in altered form) Old English incyme (“an in-coming, entrance”), equivalent to in- + come. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Íenkúumen (“income”), West Frisian ynkommen (“income”), Dutch inkomen, inkomst (“income, earnings, gainings”), German Low German Inkumst (“income”), German Einkommen, Einkunft (“income, earnings, competence”), Danish indkomst (“income”), Swedish inkomst (“income”), Icelandic innkváma (“income”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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