Money obtained readily, with little effort and, often, illegally. For example, Winning the lottery--that's easy money! or I was wary of making easy money with the insider tips I'd been given. [c. 1900] Also see fast buck.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.