# incentive

Pronunciation: US say "in-SEN-tiv" /ɪnˈsɛntɪv/; UK

## Noun

1. Something that motivates, rouses, or encourages a person to act.
   - Simple: Something that makes a person want to do something.
   - _The chance to travel was her main incentive for taking the job._
   - _Cities offer tax breaks as incentives for new businesses to move in._
2. A bonus or reward, often monetary, offered to encourage someone to work harder.
   - Simple: Extra money or a prize given to make people work harder.
   - _Sales staff receive a quarterly incentive based on their performance._
   - _The factory introduced production incentives to boost output during the busy season._

## Adjective

3. Serving to stir someone to action by encouraging or rousing them.
   - Simple: Making someone want to act, by stirring them up or encouraging them.
4. Serving to kindle a flame or set something on fire.
   - Simple: Able to start a fire or make things burn.

## Origin

From Medieval Latin incentīvus ("that strikes up or sets the tune"), from incinō ("to strike up"), itself from in- ("in, on") plus canō ("to sing"). The form appears to have been influenced by incendō ("to set on fire").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/incentive (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).