in·cen·tive

(ĭn-sĕn′tĭv)

Something, such as the fear of punishment or the expectation of reward, that induces action or motivates effort.

adj.

Serving to induce or motivate: an incentive bonus for high productivity.

[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, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

incentive

(ɪnˈsɛntɪv)

1. a motivating influence; stimulus

2. (Commerce)

a. an additional payment made to employees as a means of increasing production

b. (as modifier): an incentive scheme.

adj

serving to incite to action

[C15: from Late Latin incentīvus (adj), from Latin: striking up, setting the tune, from incinere to sing, from in-² + canere to sing]

inˈcentively adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

in•cen•tive

(ɪnˈsɛn tɪv)

n.

1. something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort.

adj.

2. inciting, as to action.

[1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin incentīvus provocative, Latin: setting the tune, derivative of incentus, past participle of incinere to play (an instrument, tunes) =in- in-² + canere to sing]

in•cen′tive•ly, adv.

syn: See motive.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	incentive - a positive motivational influence inducement, motivator rational motive - a motive that can be defended by reasoning or logical argument dynamic, moral force - an efficient incentive; "they hoped it would act as a spiritual dynamic on all churches" deterrence, disincentive - a negative motivational influence
	2.	incentive - an additional payment (or other remuneration) to employees as a means of increasing output bonus premium - a prize, bonus, or award given as an inducement to purchase products, enter competitions initiated by business interests, etc.; "they encouraged customers with a premium for loyal patronage" incentive program, incentive scheme - a formal scheme for inducing someone (as employees) to do something dividend - a bonus; something extra (especially a share of a surplus) sales incentive - remuneration offered to a salesperson for exceeding some predetermined sales goal payment - a sum of money paid or a claim discharged

incentive

noun inducement, motive, encouragement, urge, come-on (informal), spur, lure, bait, motivation, carrot (informal), impulse, stimulus, impetus, stimulant, goad, incitement, enticement There is little incentive to adopt such measures.
warning, deterrent, disincentive, discouragement, dissuasion

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

incentive

noun

Something that causes and encourages a given response:

encouragement, fillip, impetus, impulse, inducement, motivation, prod, push, spur, stimulant, stimulation, stimulator, stimulus.

Translations

بَاعِثٌحافِز، باعِث

podnětpopudstimul

incitamenttilskyndelse

Anreiz AnspornIncentive

κίνητρο

incentivo aliciente

kannustin

encouragement incitatif

poticaj

hvatningar-, örvandi

incentivo

奨励

장려금

paskata

pamudinājumsstimuls

incitament

สิ่งกระตุ้น

teşvikteşvik edici şey

phần thưởng khích lệ

激励鼓励

incentive

[ɪnˈsentɪv]

A. N → incentivo m, estímulo m
an incentive to work harder → un incentivo or estímulo para trabajar más
as an added incentive, they paid her airfare → como incentivo adicional, le pagaron el billete de avión
they have no incentive to get a job → no tienen ningún incentivo para encontrar trabajo
production incentive → incentivo m a la producción

B. CPD incentive bonus N → prima f de incentivación
incentive payment N → incentivo m económico
incentive scheme N → plan m de incentivos

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

incentive

[ɪnˈsɛntɪv] n (= inducement) → encouragement m, motivation f; (for investor) → perspective f de gains
an incentive to do sth → une incitation à faire qch
an incentive for sb to do sth → une incitation pour qn à faire qch
to have no incentive to do sth → ne pas être incité(e) à faire qch
There is no incentive to work → Il n'y a rien qui incite à travailler.
tax incentives → incitations fiscalesincentive bonus incentive payment n → prime f de rendementincentive scheme incentive plan, incentive system n → système m de primes d'encouragement

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

incentive

n → Anreiz m; this will give them a bit of an incentive → das wird ihnen einen gewissen Anreiz or Ansporn geben; they have little incentive to keep going → ihnen fehlt der Anreiz durchzuhalten; financial/economic incentives → finanzielle/wirtschaftliche Anreize pl; incentive bonus payment → Leistungszulage f; incentive scheme (Ind) → Anreizsystem nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

incentive

[ɪnˈsɛntɪv] n → incentivo
there is no incentive to work → non c'è alcun incentivo al lavoro
it gave me an incentive → mi è servito da incentivo

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

incentive

(inˈsentiv) noun

something that encourages etc. Hope of promotion was an incentive to hard work.

incentive

→ بَاعِثٌ podnět incitament Anreiz κίνητρο incentivo kannustin encouragement poticaj incentivo 奨励 장려금 stimulans incentiv zachęta incentivo стимул incitament สิ่งกระตุ้น teşvik phần thưởng khích lệ 激励

in·cen·tive

n. incentivo, estímulo; incitante, estimulante.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

With this added incentive I nearly drove Sola distracted by my importunities to hasten on my education and within a few more days I had mastered the Martian tongue sufficiently well to enable me to carry on a passable conversation and to fully understand practically all that I heard.

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With Taglat there was another incentive--a secret and sinister incentive, which, had Tarzan of the Apes had knowledge of it, would have sent him at the other's throat in jealous rage.

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And so was added a further incentive to the adventure.

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Your religion," says he, "serves you only for an excuse for your faults, but is no incentive to your virtue.

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Don't you remember the chapter in Marius where Pater talks of the gentle exercise of walking as the best incentive to conversation?"

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For a long time Tarzan could not tell whether the beast was following out of friendly feelings or merely stalking him against the time he should be hungry; but finally he was forced to believe that the former incentive it was that prompted the animal's action.

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The great chest in the bottom of Rajah Muda Saffir's prahu had awakened in other hearts as well as his, blind greed and avarice; so that as it had been the indirect cause of his disaster it now proved the incentive to another to turn the mishap to his own profit, and to the final undoing of the Malay.

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- that you tried to kill him with brandy, that the clause in the concession was a direct incentive for you to get rid of him, and you left him in the bush only a few miles from Buckomari to be seized by the natives.

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To see the man, whose introduction to Emily it had been Miss Jethro's mysterious object to prevent--at the very moment when he had been speaking of Miss Jethro herself--was, not only a temptation of curiosity, but a direct incentive (in Emily's own interests) to make an effort at discovery.

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And, as an additional incentive to show himself, a happy chance had now offered him the opportunity of putting Julian in the wrong.)

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Beneath the dirt and dishevelment he recognized him at last, and in the necessity of admitting that it was he, Malbihn was forced to recognize the incentive that had driven Baynes, the weakling and coward, through the savage jungle upon his trail.

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Well, then, all this that I put before thee is but an incentive and stimulant to my spirit, making my heart burst in my bosom through eagerness to engage in this adventure, arduous as it promises to be; therefore tighten Rocinante's girths a little, and God be with thee; wait for me here three days and no more, and if in that time I come not back, thou canst return to our village, and thence, to do me a favour and a service, thou wilt go to El Toboso, where thou shalt say to my incomparable lady Dulcinea that her captive knight hath died in attempting things that might make him worthy of being called hers."

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