earner
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈɜːnə/
US
- /ˈɜrnər/
Description
- person who makes money
- breadwinner
- wage worker
- income source
An earner is a person who brings in money through work, business, or some other source of income. You might picture a parent supporting a family, a worker collecting wages, or a freelancer getting paid for each project. The word is most often used when talking about income and financial life, as in "a high earner," "the main earner in the household," or "dual-earner families." At its heart, it points to someone who receives money because of what they do or provide.
The word "earner" refers to a person who gets money through work, business, services, or another regular source of income. It is most common in financial and social contexts, where people talk about how much money someone brings in. You will often see it in phrases such as "low earner," "high earner," "wage earner," or "dual-earner household." In all of these cases, the focus is on income rather than on general rewards like praise or respect.
In everyday life, the word helps describe a person's role in paying for life. A single parent may be the only earner in the home. In another family, both adults may be earners. A company may talk about its top earners, while an article on the economy may compare low earners and middle earners. The term does not usually refer to someone earning respect, trust, or fame, even though the verb "earn" can be used that way.
The idea behind the word is simple: money comes in because the person works, sells, creates, invests, or otherwise receives income. That is why "earner" appears so often in discussions about jobs, taxes, households, class, and the cost of living. It is a practical word, grounded in daily life, and it tells a small but important story about how a person supports themselves or others.
Examples
- 1
Family income
After his partner lost her job, he became the main earner in the family.
- 2
Salary level
Even in the city, teachers are not usually high earners.
- 3
Small business
Her online shop started as a hobby, but it is now a steady earner.
Phrase
steady earner
something that brings in money regularly
- 4
National economy
Tourism is still one of the country's biggest foreign-currency earners.
Phrase
foreign-currency earner
something that brings money into a country from abroad
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- earnernoun
Forms
- earnerspluralnoun