down payment

American  

Or down-payment

noun

1. an initial amount paid at the time of purchase, in installment buying, time sales, etc.

2. any initial or partial payment, gift, favor, or recompense, as to reduce one's indebtedness or express one's obligation or gratitude.

   This gift is just a down payment for all the favors I owe you.

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down payment British  

noun

1. the deposit paid on an item purchased on hire-purchase, mortgage, etc

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down payment Cultural  

1. A payment in part made at the time of purchase of a good, with the promise to make full payment later.

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Etymology

Origin of down payment

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

At what point does moving so often and renting become more expensive than simply staying put and saving enough for a down payment on a home that costs around $750,000?

From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026

You might be able to save enough for a down payment on a $750,000 home, but it won’t be because you don’t move for a few years.

From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026

Buyers now allocate 42% of their incomes to housing costs, according to the Burns Affordability Index, which is calculated based on a 10% down payment on a median-priced existing home.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

Enough to put a down payment on a smoothie.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026

Even so, Marian was able to save enough to help her mother make a down payment on a small house in South Philadelphia, across the street from her grandmother’s place.

From "The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights" by Russell Freedman

Related Words

• deposit