Piecework
/ˈpiːsˌwɜːrk/noun
Work paid for according to the amount completed rather than by time.
Did you know?The word is a transparent compound of piece + work, and it reflects a very old economic idea: value can be broken into countable parts and paid by the piece instead of by the hour.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
pīes
“a portion, fragment, or separate part”
Old English
OE
weorc
“something done; labor, work, deed”
Middle English
ME
piecewerk
“work done or paid for by individual pieces or units”
Modern English
English
piecework
“work paid according to the number of units produced”