pension

pension · noun, verb¹

1. Latin · derived frompēnsiō“payment, weight, rent, compensation”
2. Old French · derived frompencion
3. Anglo-Norman · derived frompencione
4. Middle English · inherited frompencioun
5. English todaypension

From Middle English pencioun, pensioun, from Anglo-Norman pencione, Old French pencion, and their source, Latin pēnsiō (“payment, weight, rent, compensation”), from the participle stem of pendō (“to weigh”). Doublet of pensione.

pension · noun²

1. Old French · derived frompencion
2. French · borrowed frompension
3. English todaypension

From French pension, from Old French pencion, as etymology 1 above. Doublet of pensione.

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. An annuity paid regularly as benefit due to a retired employee, serviceman etc. in consideration of past services, originally and chiefly by a government but also by various private pension schemes.
• 14th–19th c. A wage or fee.
• 14th–17th c. A charge or expense of some kind; a tax.
• from 16th c. A regular allowance paid to support a royal favourite, or as patronage of an artist or scholar.
• from 17th c. A boarding house or small hotel, especially in continental Europe, which typically offers lodging and certain meals and services.