down payment

American  

Or down-payment

noun

down payments plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• down payments
  plural

Etymology

Origin of down payment

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Next year, another may need help with a $100,000 down payment on a house.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 19, 2026

Lease payments depend on a range of factors, including the car’s projected value at the end of the lease, a buyer’s down payment and credit score, interest rates and more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

While recent announcements represent an important down payment, future training programs will need to be established with speed and scale.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

Ekoniak asked questions to gauge how much the client would regret it if the stock price continued to drop and she had even less money for a down payment, forcing her to sell more stock.

From Barron's • Jun. 13, 2026

I borrowed money from Mrs. Bibbs, my employer, made a down payment on a pearl-gray suit.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

Related Words

• deposit