deposit
dih-POZ-iht
Deposit (noun) means a sum of money paid into a bank account, or an initial partial payment made to secure a purchase. Example: “The landlord asked for a deposit before handing over the keys.”
noun
1
A sum of money paid into a bank account, or an initial partial payment made to secure a purchase.
"The landlord asked for a deposit before handing over the keys."
"They paid a 10% deposit on the house."
"She made a deposit at the bank on her lunch break."
2
A layer of material, such as minerals or sediment, that has built up naturally in a particular place.
"A thick deposit of chalk lies under the farmland."
"Limescale forms a white deposit inside the kettle."
"Geologists found a large deposit of copper beneath the hillside."
verb
1
To put money into a bank account, or to leave something in a particular place.
"Please deposit the cheque at any branch before Friday."
"He deposited his paycheck using the banking app."
"The river deposits silt along its banks every spring."
How to use deposit
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMoney put into an account or paid upfront, or natural material that has settled somewhere over time.
Common pairings
pay a deposit
deposit money
mineral deposit
security deposit
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Word forms
- Plural
- deposits
- Third person singular
- deposits
- Past tense
- deposited
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The landlord asked for a _____ before handing over the keys.
Etymology
A learned borrowing from Latin depositus, the past participle of deponere ("to put down") — making it a doublet of "depot."
Synonyms
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down payment
sediment
accumulation
retainer
instalment
layer
depository
repository
sedimentation
alluviation
deposition
depositary
Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “deposit” mean?
The word “deposit” means a sum of money paid into a bank account, or an initial partial payment made to secure a purchase. In plain terms, money put into an account or paid upfront, or natural material that has settled somewhere over time.
How do you pronounce “deposit”?
“Deposit” is pronounced dih-POZ-iht (/dɪˈpɑ.zɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “deposit” in a sentence?
Here is “deposit” used in a sentence: “They paid a 10% deposit on the house.”
What is the opposite of “deposit”?
The opposite of “deposit” — its antonyms — is withdraw.
What part of speech is “deposit”?
Depending on how it is used, “deposit” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “deposit” come from?
The word “deposit” comes from Latin. A learned borrowing from Latin depositus, the past participle of deponere ("to put down") — making it a doublet of "depot.".
Is “deposit” a common word?
“Deposit” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “deposit” have?
“Deposit” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sum of money paid into a bank account, or an initial partial payment made to secure a purchase.
What is the difference between a "deposit" and a "down payment"?
A "deposit" is an initial partial payment made to secure a purchase or reserve something, and it may be refundable. A "down payment" is specifically the upfront portion of a purchase price, with the rest usually paid later or financed.
What is the difference between "deposit" and "withdrawal"?
A "deposit" is money paid into a bank account, increasing the balance. A "withdrawal" is money taken out of an account, reducing the balance, so the two are opposites.
What preposition is used with "deposit"?
You put a deposit "on" something you want to buy, as in "a deposit on a house," and you pay a deposit "into" a bank account. You can also make a deposit "of" a certain amount.
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