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payroll

/ˈpeɪrɒl/
noun★Intermediate
💼Business
formal

A list of employees and the amount of money they are owed for their work.

The company updates the payroll every month.

The HR department handles the payroll for all employees.

💰Finance
formal

The total amount of money paid to employees by an organization during a specific period.

The payroll for the quarter was higher than expected.

The company's payroll expenses increased by 10%.

Collocations

payroll taxa tax on employees' wagespayroll processingthe act of calculating and distributing employee wages

Synonyms

Related Phrases

on the payrollphrase
employed by an organization and receiving a salary

💡Pro Tip

Usage tip

Use 'payroll' when referring to the list of employees and their wages, or the total amount paid to employees.

📖Word Origin

From 'pay' and 'roll', likely originating from the practice of rolling up a list of employees and their wages.

📝Usage Notes

Commonly used in business and finance contexts.

Word Breakdown

pay
to give money in exchange for work
root
+
roll
a list or record
root
✎ Noted on May 26, 2026EN → EN

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