English · Work & Business
severance
/ˈsev.ər.əns/
[/ˈsev.ər.əns/]
payment on leaving a job
Advancednoun
Definition
Money paid to an employee when their job ends, often when they are laid off.
Example
When the company closed, each worker received several months of pay as severance.
When the company closed, each worker received several months of pay as severance.
Etymology
From 'sever' (Old French 'severer', from Latin 'separare', to separate) plus '-ance'.
How & Where It’s Used
Used in employment for end-of-job pay; also means the act of cutting off.