emolument
noun
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The U.S. Constitution includes two emoluments clauses: the foreign emoluments clause, in Article 1, Section 9, prohibits federal officeholders from accepting gifts, payments, or other items of value from foreign states or rulers; the domestic emoluments clause, in Article 2, Section 1, prohibits the president from receiving any compensation from the federal government or from any state beyond what Section 1 outlines for compensation for service as the nation’s chief executive. Like most technical legal terms, emolument is Latin in origin, but chew on this: its Latin predecessor meant simply “advantage,” but that word’s source is emolere, meaning “to produce by grinding,” and its relations include such toothsome words as mill and molar.
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Examples of emolument in a Sentence
Bernard Condon, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2025
This could lead to a surge in emoluments violations, as government officials use their positions for personal gain.
—Steven Delco, Hartford Courant, 10 July 2024
The proposal led by Rep. Jamie Raskin and Sen. Richard Blumenthal would enforce the Constitution’s ban on emoluments, which prohibits the president from accepting foreign gifts and money without Congress’ permission.
—Farnoush Amiri, Twin Cities, 21 May 2024
It was never established what constituted an emoluments violation and what would be the remedy.
—Sharon Lafraniere, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Emolument.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emolument. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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emolument
noun
Legal Definition
emolument
noun
U.S. Constitution art. II
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