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

• chicken feed [slang]
• chump change
• dime
• hay
• mite
• peanuts
• pin money
• shoestring
• song
• two cents

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pitance, from Anglo-French, piety, pity, dole, portion, from Medieval Latin pietantia, from pietant-, pietans, present participle of pietari to be charitable, from Latin pietas piety — more at pity

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

pittance

noun

pit·​tance ˈpit-ᵊn(t)s 

: a small portion, amount, or allowance especially of money