unsalaried

IPA/ʌnˈsæl.ər.id/
IPA/ʌnˈsæl.ɚ.id/

unsalaried — adjective

  • unsalariedpositive
  • more unsalariedcomparative
  • most unsalariedsuperlative

1. An unsalaried job, role, or activity is done without the person receiving any mo

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

An unsalaried job, role, or activity is done without the person receiving any money or payment.

Example

Vinícius took an unsalaried position at the local hospital to gain experience in nursing.

unsalaried position — a job with no pay

The Red Cross depends entirely on unsalaried volunteers who give their time for free.

unsalaried volunteers — people who work without pay

Common collocations
  • unsalaried position
  • unsalaried role
  • unsalaried work
  • unsalaried staff
  • unsalaried volunteer
  • unsalaried internship
Synonyms
  • unpaid

    broader term; can describe any bill, debt, or cost, whereas unsalaried is specific to work roles

  • voluntary

    emphasises choice and willingness; unsalaried is neutral about motivation

  • honorary

    used for official titles or positions without pay, often with prestige

Antonyms
  • salaried

    receiving a regular fixed wage

  • paid

    general opposite for any compensated work

Grammar Patterns

unsalaried + noun

be + unsalaried

Usage Note

Predominantly used attributively (before nouns like position, role, work, staff) or predicatively (the job is unsalaried). Often describes voluntary or charitable positions, or roles intended to build experience rather than income.

Common Mistakes

She has an unsalaried job so her salary is low.
She has an unsalaried job so she receives no pay at all.
Unsalaried means zero salary, not a small salary.
I forgot to pay the unsalaried bill.
I forgot to pay the unpaid bill.
Unsalaried refers specifically to work without a salary; unpaid is the broader term for any bill, debt, or fee.

2. If a worker is unsalaried, they are paid for each task or project separately ins

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

If a worker is unsalaried, they are paid for each task or project separately instead of receiving a fixed regular wage.

Example

Nikhil works as an unsalaried consultant and sends a bill for each project he finishes.

unsalaried consultant — a worker paid per project, not per month

The publisher hires unsalaried translators paid by the page, not by the month.

unsalaried + noun (translators) — paid per unit of work

Common collocations
  • unsalaried worker
  • unsalaried consultant
  • unsalaried translator
  • unsalaried basis
  • unsalaried freelance work
  • unsalaried employment
Synonyms
  • freelance

    more common term; unsalaried is more formal and specific to payment structure

  • contract

    emphasises the temporary or fixed-term nature rather than the payment method

  • casual

    less formal; suggests irregular hours as well as irregular pay

Antonyms
  • salaried

    receiving a fixed regular wage

  • permanent

    denoting ongoing employment with regular pay

Grammar Patterns

unsalaried + noun (worker / consultant / translator)

on an unsalaried basis

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: in this sense the person IS paid, but per task or project rather than a regular salary. Common in freelance, contract, and gig-economy contexts. Frequently used in the phrase on an unsalaried basis.

Common Mistakes

He works as an unsalaried plumber who gets a monthly paycheck.
He works as a salaried plumber for a company.
Unsalaried (sense 2) means no monthly salary; a person paid a monthly salary is salaried.

Word family

  • salary
    nounB1
  • salaried
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words describe situations in which someone does not receive money for their work, but they differ in scope and connotation. Unpaid is the broadest term: it can describe any bill, debt, or fee that has not been paid, as well as work done without compensation (unpaid overtime, unpaid leave). Unsalaried is narrower — it refers specifically to a job, post, or role with no salary attached, and is more formal. Voluntary emphasises that the person chose to do the work out of goodwill, often for a charitable cause (voluntary work at a shelter). Honorary applies to official titles or positions awarded as a mark of respect, where the holder is not expected to perform regular duties and receives no pay (honorary president, honorary degree). For example: 'She did unpaid overtime every weekend' (just not compensated); 'He accepted an unsalaried position on the school board' (a formal role with no salary); 'They run the food bank as voluntary workers' (they choose to help); 'She serves as honorary chair of the foundation' (a title, not a working role).

unpaid ↗voluntary ↗honorary ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • unsalaried basis

Prepositions

  • on an unsalaried basis

Etymology

LatinAnglo-FrenchEnglish

Formed in English by adding the prefix un- (meaning 'not') to salaried, which itself comes from salary, borrowed through Anglo-French from Latin salarium — money given to Roman soldiers to buy salt, from sal 'salt'. The word unsalaried appears from the early 19th century onward, first attested in contexts of appointed public roles performed without financial compensation.

First known use

1836

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1