Piecework

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. This describes a compensation method where workers earn income according to the quantity of tasks or units they finish rather than by time spent on the job
2. This refers to a wage system that assesses payment based on the number of completed goods or tasks instead of an hourly rate
3. This term denotes a pay structure in which individuals are compensated based on their output of work units or tasks rather than the duration of their labor

Etymology: "Piecework" is a plain compound of "piece" and "work," and its history is the history of those two parts. "Piece" came into English from Old French "piece," itself of uncertain origin, and by the Middle Ages it could mean a portion or fragment of something. "Work" is an old Germanic word, present in Old English as "weorc." Joined together, the two words describe labor measured out in portions: each finished piece earns a set reward, so the worker's pay follows what is produced rather than the hours spent. The spelling has varied over time, and "piece work" as two words is an equally acceptable form, with the one-word version being the more compact spelling of the same term. Because the compound is transparent, its meaning has changed little from its component sense of work divided into pieces, which is why the term still reads so directly today.

Synonyms: piece rate, taskwork

Antonyms: salary work