subscription
suhb-SKRIP-shuhn
/səbˈskrɪp.ʃən/
An advance agreement or payment made to receive a service, publication, or access continuously over time.
Focuses on ongoing recurring access rather than outright permanent purchase.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'subscribere', literally 'to write underneath'. In ancient Rome, signing your name at the bottom of a document bound you financially. By the 17th century, English publishers gathered advance payments by getting readers to write their names under a funding contract before printing books.
Word relationships
- membership: 'Membership' emphasizes belonging to a group, whereas 'subscription' emphasizes recurring payment for access.
- one-off purchase: A single transactional payment with no ongoing commitment.
Commonly confused with
- prescription: 'Prescription' is an official medical order from a physician, while 'subscription' is a payment agreement.
Word family
- subscribe (verb): To pay for or sign up to receive a service regularly.
- subscriber (noun): A person who holds or pays for a subscription.
Collocations
- monthly subscription
- subscription model
- cancel a subscription
- annual subscription
Idioms & expressions
- subscription fatigue
Example sentences
- "She decided to cancel her monthly subscription after realizing she rarely used the video streaming service." Tech news commentary
- "Software companies have shifted rapidly from one-time software sales to recurring subscription revenues." Business journalism
Memory hook
SUB (under) + SCRIPT (write) — you write your name at the bottom to sign up. Sign underneath for regular service.
When not to use
Do not use for one-time single purchases without recurring terms.
Fun facts
- 17th-century books listed their 'subscribers' on the opening pages as a public sign of patronage and status.
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