Etymology Map
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Stipend

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a fixed regular payment, such as a salary for a clergyman or student

Where does the word "stipend" come from? It comes from Latin stīpendium, adopted directly into English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
stīpendium
Latin · ancient
"soldier's pay"
a Roman soldier's pay, from 'stips', small coin, and 'pendere', to weigh out
2
Stage 2 of 2
stipend
English · 1400s
"regular allowance"
came to mean the salary of a clergyman, and later of students and trainees
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Read the full story

Stipend’s story begins in Latin: stīpendium meant “soldier's pay.” A Roman soldier's pay, from 'stips', small coin, and 'pendere', to weigh out. It reached English by 1400s as stipend. Came to mean the salary of a clergyman, and later of students and trainees. Today, stipend means a fixed regular payment, such as a salary for a clergyman or student.