remunerare

Remunerare is a Latin verb meaning to reward, recompense, or pay for services rendered. It is a transitive verb and typically governs an object denoting the recipient of the reward or the form of payment. In classical and late Latin, remunerare appears in legal, administrative, and moral contexts, where it denotes giving a return for merit, service, or obligation.

Etymology and forms: The verb is formed with the prefix re- alongside a root related to munus, meaning gift, duty, or service. The principal parts are remunerō, remunerāre, remunerāvī, remunerātum. The related noun remunerātiō denotes remuneration or recompense, while remunerātus serves as a participle meaning paid or remunerated. The sense extends from paying back a debt of service to rewarding merit.

Romance language cognates and usage: The verb has direct descendants in several Romance languages, including Italian remunerare, Spanish remunerar, and Portuguese remunerar, all retaining the sense of paying or rewarding for work or services. In English, remunerate and remuneration are formal terms borrowed from Latin via French and are used primarily in legal, financial, or administrative writing. They cover compensation for work, services, or opportunity costs, and are often contrasted with terms like salary, wage, or fee depending on context.

See also examples: In Latin texts, remunerare is often paired with phrases indicating the source or form of payment, such as a stipend, honorarium, or reward. In modern usage, it remains a formal synonym for compensating someone for services, typically emphasizing monetary or material reward.