Definition

A payment made to someone for their professional services when there is no legal or traditional requirement to pay a fee.

Example

The speaker received an honorarium for delivering the keynote address at the conference.

Conversation

Did you hear about the honorarium they offered the guest speaker at the conference?

Yeah, I heard it was quite generous for just an hour of speaking.

I wonder if that's a common practice for events like these.

It seems like a good way to show appreciation for their time and expertise.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Honorarium is formed from "honor" (from Latin "honor", meaning esteem or respect) and "-arium" (a suffix used in Latin to denote a place associated with a specific function). The word "honorarium" refers to a payment given for professional services rendered, often in recognition of respect or esteem for the work done.

Memory Tip

Think of 'honor' as respect and '-arium' as a place or context — an honorarium is a payment given in recognition of the respect for someone's professional contribution.

Visually Confused Words