Definition

Noun: - Work paid for according to the quantity produced: A system of employment where a worker's pay is based on the number of units or pieces they complete, rather than the hours they work.

Usage

• Piecework is used as a non-count noun to describe the payment system itself.
• It is commonly used in contexts like manufacturing, agriculture, and some service industries.
• Example:
• Example:

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "on piecework": Describes being employed under this payment system.
  • Most of the home-based assemblers are on piecework.
• "piecework rate": The amount paid per completed unit.
  • The new piecework rate is 50 cents per item.

Variants and Related Words

• Pieceworker (noun): A person who is paid by piecework.
  • The pieceworkers gathered their finished products for counting.
• Piece-rate (noun/adjective): Another term for the piecework payment rate or system. (Note: This is a compound word listed here as a related term).
  • The piece-rate was not sufficient to earn a living wage.

Synonyms

• Output-based pay: Payment tied to production output.
• Payment by results: A broader term for compensation based on achieved outcomes.

Related Phrases

• To be paid by the piece: An informal phrase meaning the same as being paid by piecework.
  • They are paid by the piece, not by the hour.
• To work on a piecework basis: A formal phrase describing the employment arrangement.
  • The freelancers work on a piecework basis.

Noun

1. work paid for according to the quantity produced