allowance
Elementary (A2)
IPA: /əˈlaʊəns/
KK: /əˈlaʊəns/
noun
Definition
An amount of money or something else that is given regularly, often for a specific purpose, or a consideration made for certain situations.
Example
She receives a monthly allowance from her parents to cover her expenses.
Conversation
Did you get your weekly allowance yet?
Yeah, I just received it yesterday!
What do you plan to do with your allowance?
I think I'll save it for some new games.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
stipend
grant
allocation
Antonyms
penalty
forfeiture
deduction
transitive verb
Definition
To give or provide something in a specific amount or limit, often as part of a plan or agreement.
Example
She receives a monthly allowance from her parents to cover her expenses.
Conversation
Have you heard about the new budget plan at work?
Yeah, I heard they're going to allowance our expenses more strictly now.
That sounds a bit tough, but I guess it makes sense to save money.
Root Explanation
Allowance → It is formed from "allow" (from Old French *alouer*, meaning to approve or grant) and "-ance" (a suffix used to form nouns indicating a state or quality). The word "allowance" refers to the state of being allowed or granted something, often in terms of money or resources.
Memory Tip
Think of being 'approved' ('allow') to receive something, and the '-ance' shows it’s a state of receiving that approval.
Visually Confused Words
reallowance
preallowance
misallowance
disallowance
avowance
alliance