garnishment

noun

gar·​nish·​ment ˈgär-nish-mənt 

1

: ornament, garnish

2

: a legal summons or warning concerning the attachment of property to satisfy a debt

3

: a stoppage of a specified sum from wages to satisfy a creditor or a legal obligation (such as child support)

Synonyms

• ornament
• ornamentation
• decoration
• garnish

Examples of garnishment in a Sentence

a high-end caterer whose dishes feature an array of over-the-top garnishments

Recent Examples on the Web

How to challenge the garnishment Federal student borrowers should have received at least a 30-day warning before their Social Security benefit is offset, said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. —Annie Nova, CNBC, 1 June 2025

Aggressive collection efforts, such as wage garnishments, are likely to lead many to D183CA turn to payday loans and other predatory financial products to cover basic living expenses. —Aisha Nyandoro, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025

Additionally, after a 30-day notice period, the department will begin wage garnishment for borrowers in default. —Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 5 May 2025

The government said the FSA would send notices about wage garnishment later this summer. —Melissa Chan, NBC news, 4 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

(sense 1) garnish entry 1 + -ment; (senses 2 & 3) borrowed from Anglo-French garnissement "warning, notification, notification concerning the attachment of property to satisfy a debt," from garniss-, stem of garnir "to give notice, warn, give legal summons" + -ment -ment — more at garnish entry 1

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

garnishment

noun

gar·​nish·​ment ˈgär-nish-mənt 

: a remedial device used by a creditor to have property of the debtor or money owed to the debtor that is in the possession of a third party attached to pay the debt to the creditor

specifically : attachment of the debtor's wages to satisfy a judgment compare wage assignment at assignment