underpay

verb

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí Proto-Indo-European *-ér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér Proto-Germanic *under Proto-West Germanic *undar Old English under- Middle English under- English under- English pay English underpay From under- + pay.

1. To pay (someone) less than the value of their work; to pay (someone) insufficiently.

   “The company-city subgenre always seemed to star a hero who outsmarted, overthrew, or escaped "the company." I've never seen one where the hero fought like hell to get taken in and underpaid by the company.”

   “In their Position Paper, respondents averred that they were underpaid their daily wage, overtime work pay and 13th month pay.”

2. To pay less than is due for (something).

   “The underpaid letter was returned to the sender.”