superannuation
Superannuation (noun) means 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. Example: “Her employer pays superannuation on top of her salary.”
How to Use Superannuation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMoney set aside from your pay while you work, to live on after you retire.
Everyday in Australia and New Zealand, where it is usually shortened to "super"; more formal and less common in British and American English.
Note the spelling: super + annu + ation, one n in super and two in annuation.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her employer pays _____ on top of her salary.
Etymology
From Latin super- "beyond" and annus "year", by way of the medieval Latin superannuatus "more than a year old, worn out with age".
Synonyms
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Rhymes for 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It describes a person retired on a pension, or, more commonly now, something too old or outdated to be of use — "a superannuated filing system".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.