incentive

Meanings

Noun

• Something that motivates, rouses, or encourages.
• A bonus or reward, often monetary, to work harder.

Adjective

• Inciting; encouraging or moving; rousing to action; stimulating.
• Serving to kindle or set on fire.

Related

Opposite words

• disincentive

Origin

• From Medieval Latin incentivus, from incinere, from in + canere. The formation appears to have been influenced by incendere ' to set on fire'.