A salary or wage payment, typically received regularly from an employer. Often used to represent one's income or financial security.
American English compound from 'pay' (Old French 'paier,' to appease) + 'check' (Middle English via Old French, meaning a counter or token). The specific combination emerged with modern banking systems.
The phrase 'living paycheck to paycheck' captures a modern financial reality that didn't exist before regular wage employment became common. In pre-industrial times, most people were paid irregularly or in kind rather than with standardized payments.
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