earner
UK: ˈɜːnə | US: ˈɜːrnər
n. a person who earns money or income through work or other means
The word "earner" combines the verb "earn," derived from Old English earnian ("to labor for, deserve"), with the agentive suffix "-er," which denotes a person performing an action. The root "earn" originally implied agricultural toil but evolved to encompass any form of income generation. The suffix "-er" (from Old English -ere) is a prolific English morpheme for creating nouns indicating roles (e.g., "teacher," "runner"). Together, they form a transparent compound meaning "one who earns."
She is the primary earner in her household.
Freelancers are independent earners who manage their own income.
The new policy benefits low-income earners.
He transitioned from a salaried earner to an entrepreneur.
Top earners in the company receive annual bonuses.