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  1. incentive love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. Something, such as the fear of punishment or the expectation of reward, that induces action or motivates effort.
  2. adj. Serving to induce or motivate: an incentive bonus for high productivity.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. Inciting; encouraging.
  2. Setting fire; igniting; firing; incendiary.
  3. n. That which moves the mind or stirs the passions; that which incites or tends to incite to action; motive; spur: as, pride is a powerful incentive.
  4. n. Synonyms Impulse, etc. (see motive), stimulus, incitement, encouragement, goad.

Wiktionary

  1. n. Something that motivates, rouses, or encourages.
  2. n. A bonus or reward, often monetary, to work harder.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. adj. Inciting; encouraging or moving; rousing to action; stimulative.
  2. adj. rare Serving to kindle or set on fire.
  3. n. That which moves or influences the mind, or operates on the passions; that which incites, or has a tendency to incite, to determination or action; that which prompts to good or ill; motive; spur.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. a positive motivational influence
  2. n. an additional payment (or other remuneration) to employees as a means of increasing output

Etymologies

  1. From Medieval Latin incentivus ("that strikes up or sets the tune"), from incinere ("to strike up"), from in ("in, on") + canere ("to sing"). The formation appears to have been influenced by incendere ' to set on fire'. (Wiktionary)
  2. Middle English, from Late Latin incentīvum, from neuter of incentīvus, inciting, from Latin, setting the tune, from incentus, past participle of incinere, to sound : in-, intensive pref.; see in-2 + canere, to sing; see kan- in Indo-European roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

  • “Another incentive is the tax and duty-free importation of raw materials to be used for book publishing.”

    On the Great Book Blockade of 2009 (Updated 7 May) (with BDAP Paper) « BAHAY TALINHAGA

  • “It's some incentive, but the incentive is always to win," Baker says.”

    USATODAY.com - Best All-Star change: Giving players voice

  • “Any extra incentive is a plus, and when you have a whole team that wants to shove Selig's Death Wish down his throat, it can only help.”

    USATODAY.com - Twins making believers out of everyone ... almost

  • “The "Compensation Disclosure and Analysis" report for 2010-2011, which outlines the new "short term incentive plan" approved by the board, indicates that BT chief executive Lorne Braithwaite, a veteran real estate executive, could receive a bonus equivalent to 50 per cent of his salary, provided the organization achieves specified financial goals.”

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed

  • “This includes a fixed salary of $2 million a year, plus the option to participate in the company's short term incentive plan of a maximum cash bonus of an additional to $2 million a year in each of the first three full financial years of employment, provided performance targets are met.”

    NEWS.com.au | Top Stories

  • “Reimbursement for administering IV drugs is a percentage of the average sales price, what they call an incentive to prescribe a pricier version.”

    The Seattle Times

  • “Lottery officials say the bonuses, which they call incentive payments, are commonly used in private industry to help retain top staffers.”

    ajc.com - News

  • “Much of what you call incentive pay is not incentive pay, it's a charade," Stiglitz said, noting that a lot of reported company earnings are "phantom profits.”

    Courthouse News Service

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synonyms (18)

Words with the same meaning

  1. inciting
  2. stimulative
  3. encouragement
  1. motive
  2. influence
  3. inducement
  1. stimulus
  2. incitement
  3. spur
  1. incitive
  2. provocative
  3. impelling
  1. propellate
  2. mainspring
  3. instigation
  1. provocation
  2. goad
  3. reason

antonyms (1)

Words with the opposite meaning

  1. disincentive

same context (24)

Words that are found in similar contexts

  1. inducement
  2. stimulus
  3. compensation
  4. encouragement
  1. reward
  2. motivation
  3. contribution
  4. investment
  1. opportunity
  2. bonus
  3. saving
  4. safeguard
  1. benefit
  2. challenge
  3. sanction
  4. guidance
  1. premium
  2. subsidy
  3. goal
  4. fee
  1. flexibility
  2. motive
  3. assistance
  4. disadvantage

rhymes (5)

Words with the same terminal sound

  1. attentive
  1. disincentive
  1. inattentive
  1. inventive
  1. preventive

reverse dictionary (37)

Words that contain this word in their definition

  1. moral force
  2. dynamic
  3. incentively
  4. motive
  5. encouragement
  6. impetus
  7. incitation
  1. incitement
  2. botargo
  3. motivation
  4. railipotent
  5. stimulative
  6. irritament
  7. Uncle Sam
  1. unmotivated
  2. sweetener
  3. inducement
  4. stimulus
  5. motivate
  6. incentive
  7. golden handcuffs
  1. stimulant
  2. incentivize
  3. move
  4. propel
  5. supply-side economics
  6. spur
  7. golden handshake
  1. moral hazard
  2. motivated
  3. motivating
  4. prompt
  5. actuate
  6. incite
  7. love
  1. persuasive
  2. affect

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‘incentive’ has been looked up 3412 times, loved by 2 people, added to 25 lists, and has a Scrabble score of 14.