superannuation

5 synonyms for superannuation, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A retirement savings scheme in which an employer, and often the employee too, pays a regular percentage of wages into a fund that is drawn on after retirement; the money held in such a fund.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

super pension

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

retirement fund 401(k) obsoleteness

How to use superannuation

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

superannuation fund superannuation contributions compulsory superannuation superannuation guarantee

Everyday in Australia and New Zealand, where it is usually shortened to "super"; more formal and less common in British and American English.

Etymology

From Latin super- "beyond" and annus "year", by way of the medieval Latin superannuatus "more than a year old, worn out with age".

Full origin of superannuation →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between superannuation and a pension?

Superannuation is the fund you build up from contributions during your working life; a pension is a regular income paid out, either from that fund or by the state. In Australia "super" is the near-universal term for the savings pot, while "pension" usually means the government Age Pension.

Is superannuation the same as a 401(k)?

They do the same job — tax-advantaged workplace retirement saving — but the rules differ. Australian super has a compulsory employer contribution set by law, whereas a US 401(k) is voluntary and driven mainly by employee contributions with optional employer matching.

What does superannuated mean?

It describes a person retired on a pension, or, more commonly now, something too old or outdated to be of use — "a superannuated filing system". It is often mildly humorous or dismissive.

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