FreeScrabbleDictionary

incentive

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
14
Words With Friends
18
Letters
9
Pronunciation
/ɪnˈsɛntɪv/

Definition of incentive

4 senses · 2 parts of speech · etymology included

noun

  1. Something that motivates, rouses, or encourages.
    “I have no incentive to do housework right now.”
    “It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […].”
See all 4 definitions

noun

  1. Something that motivates, rouses, or encourages.
    “I have no incentive to do housework right now.”
    “It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […].”
  2. A bonus or reward, often monetary, to work harder.
    “Management offered the sales team a $500 incentive for each car sold.”

adj

  1. Inciting; encouraging or moving; rousing to action; stimulating.
    “Competency is of all other proportions the most incentive to industry.”
  2. Serving to kindle or set on fire.
    “Part incentive reed / Provide, pernicious with one touch of fire.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin incentīvus (“that strikes up or sets the tune”), from incinō (“to strike up”), from in- (“in, on”) + canō (“to sing”) + -ive. The formation appears to have been influenced by incendō (“to set on fire”).

Anagrams of incentive

1 play · some not in Scrabble

Words you can make from incentive

65 playable · top: EVINCE (11 pts)

Best play evince 11 points

7-letter words

1 word

6-letter words

8 words

5-letter words

11 words

4-letter words

20 words

3-letter words

17 words

2-letter words

7 words

Hooks

1 extension · 1 back

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