depot

American  

[dee-poh, dep-oh] / ˈdi poʊ, ˈdɛp oʊ /

noun

• depots
  plural

1. a railroad station.

   Synonyms:

   terminal

2. a bus station.

   Synonyms:

   terminal

3. Military.

   1. a place in which supplies and materials are stored for distribution.

   2. (formerly) a place where recruits are assembled for classification, initial training, and assignment to active units.

4. a storehouse or warehouse, as a building where freight is deposited.

5. Physiology. a place where body products not actively involved in metabolic processes are accumulated, deposited, or stored.

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depot British  

/ ˈdiːpəʊ, ˈdɛpəʊ /

noun

1. a storehouse or warehouse

2. military

   1. a store for supplies

   2. a training and holding centre for recruits and replacements

3. a building used for the storage and servicing of buses or railway engines

4. 1. a bus or railway station

   2. ( as modifier )

      a depot manager

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adjective

1. (of a drug or drug dose) designed for gradual release from the site of an injection so as to act over a long period

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subdepot
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• depots
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of depot

1785–95; < French dépot < Latin dēpositum, noun use of neuter of dēpositus; see deposit

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Explanation

A depot is a place where things are stored in large quantities for future use. Your office might have a depot in the back where supplies are stored. Depot came into English from the French word dépôt, meaning "a deposit, place of deposit." A depot can be a place like a warehouse where items are temporarily deposited, but we also use it for a train or bus station. In this case, think of it as a place where a many passengers are being temporarily housed. Your bus trip might require you to get off one bus at a big depot, and transfer to another.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

depot depots

Without a human, the truck drives from depot to another depot or yard where the trailer is either unloaded or a human driver takes over for docking or driving the final mile.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

The welcome screen at the ticket kiosks noted a “fare adjustment,” with no further information, and no signage appeared anywhere near the main entrance or inside the train depot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

It can travel driverless from a rail depot to a station at speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

Teearu said the organisation is having to spend thousands to fuel its vans and depot and covering covering staff costs, with spending reaching nearly £500,000 every year.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

I thought about Dunson McCall, but remembered Dunse was picking peaches for Mr. Angus Tuttle, the depot man, who had an orchard out on the edge of town.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Airports remain closed or severely disrupted across much of North America, while railways, freight depots and farms struggle to operate.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

“It was systematic. They entered the depots and stole everything they could,” said Umaima Abdul-Rahman Al-Sanusi, one of the museum’s curators, as her eyes scanned a shattered display case.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

It includes the construction of fortifications, equipment depots, as well as reconnaissance and anti-drone installations.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

Hamas is also expected to hand over maps of its tunnels, weapons factories and depots, according to the draft of the agreement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

In seven states, thousands of Americans stood weeping on riverbanks and train depots, hats in hands, hands over hearts.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

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Related Words

• armory
• garage
• store
• storehouse
• terminal
• yard

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