Reimbursement
ˌriːɪmˈbɜːrsmənt
Definitions
The act of giving someone money back for an expense they have paid.
ˌriːɪmˈbɜːrsmənt
The act of compensating someone for an expense.
The company offers generous reimbursement for employees' work-related expenses.
💡 Simply: Imagine you buy a cool gadget, but your parents said they'd pay you back. The money they give you back is the reimbursement! It's like getting your money back.
👶 For kids: When someone gives you your money back for something you bought.
More Examples
After submitting my receipts, I received reimbursement for my travel costs.
The patient sought reimbursement from their insurance provider for the doctor's visit.
How It's Used
"Companies often provide reimbursement for employee travel expenses."
"Insurance companies provide reimbursement for covered medical procedures."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
From re- (again) + imburse (from Latin 'in' + 'bursa', meaning purse or money bag). The word entered English in the 17th century, originally meaning to pay back or compensate.
The term 'reimbursement' emerged in the 17th century, initially referring to the act of paying back money, and it has maintained a consistent meaning and usage since then.
Memory tip
Imagine your purse is being refilled (re-im-burse) after you paid for something.
Word Origin
"The root 'burse' comes from the Latin word 'bursa,' which means 'purse' or 'money bag.' The prefix 're-' means 'again' or 'back', emphasizing the act of giving money back."