The recovery or reclamation of money or benefits that were previously granted, especially by an employer or government.
From claw (to scrape or grab back) + back (return). This 20th-century financial and legal term uses the metaphor of claws scratching back what was given, becoming especially common after corporate scandals and financial crises.
The term 'clawback' became famous when executives had to return bonuses after financial crimes—it's a relatively new word (from around the 1980s) that perfectly captures the image of money being scratched back. Financial terminology is surprisingly vivid!
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