pittance
noun
pit·tance
ˈpi-tᵊn(t)s 
: a small portion, amount, or allowance
also
: a meager wage or remuneration
Did you know?
It's a pity when you haven't anything but a pittance. And in fact, pity and pittance share etymological roots. The Middle English word pittance came from Anglo-French pitance, meaning "pity" or "piety." Originally, a pittance was a gift or bequest to a religious community, or a small charitable gift. Ultimately, the word comes from the Latin pietas, meaning "piety" or "compassion." Our words pity and piety come from pietas as well.
Synonyms
Examples of pittance in a Sentence
the internship offers only a pittance for a salary, but it is a great opportunity to gain experience
Recent Examples on the Web
Also in 2012, Trump bought a course outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, agreeing to pay $3 million in cash and assume $4.1 million of membership liabilities, a pittance for Trump.
—
Dan Alexander, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
That £30million fee now looks like a pittance for someone that good.
—The Athletic Staff, The Athletic, 12 Aug. 2024
Like other hitmakers at Studio One, Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths enjoyed their time there, despite being paid pittances, if they were paid at all.
—Patricia Meschino, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2024
And educated professionals earn a pittance compared with their counterparts in wealthier countries.
—Byemmet Livingstone, science.org, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pittance 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dan Alexander, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
That £30million fee now looks like a pittance for someone that good.
—The Athletic Staff, The Athletic, 12 Aug. 2024
Like other hitmakers at Studio One, Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths enjoyed their time there, despite being paid pittances, if they were paid at all.
—Patricia Meschino, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2024
And educated professionals earn a pittance compared with their counterparts in wealthier countries.
—Byemmet Livingstone, science.org, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pittance
Dictionary Entries Near pittance
Cite this Entry
“Pittance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pittance. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pittance
noun
pit·tance
ˈpit-ᵊn(t)s
: a small portion, amount, or allowance especially of money
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share