From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishminimum wageˌminimum ˈwage noun [singular] BECthe lowest amount of money that an employer can legally pay to a worker Most of the junior office staff are on the minimum wage (=being paid the lowest legal amount).
Examples from the Corpus
minimum wage• When a minimum wage was introduced in the United States, it caused only large increases in black unemployment.• Mr. MacGregor I am also aware that the Opposition's proposal for a national minimum wage would destroy many part-time jobs.• Birmingham, once a labor lawyer, is expected to be a strong advocate on such issues as the minimum wage.• As a result of this foolish ambivalence the Government is in danger of wasting the credit it deserves for the minimum wage.• Regional organiser, Selina Vilakazi estimates that 50% of employers pay less than half the minimum wage recommended by the Union.• Both sides are arming themselves for the coming debate on the minimum wage, which could be nasty.• Most of the new jobs in the area only pay the minimum wage.• Raising the minimum wage has a negligible impact on unemployment.• The sociologists at Williamsburg compare cash benefits with the minimum wage and cite incentives for work and marriage.From Longman Business Dictionaryminimum wageˌminimum ˈwage [singular]LAW the lowest amount of money that can legally be paid per hour to a workerHe claimed that Labour’s plans to introduce a national minimum wage would lead to job losses.a statutory minimum wage → wage 