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

You may, for instance, allocate money for education, mortgage, down payment, rent, and, of course, their children.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026

Federal Housing Administration loans are typically easier to qualify for than conventional mortgages and allow credit scores as low as 500 with a 10% down payment.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 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

But five years ago, he agreed to put $12,000 toward closing costs and part of the down payment for his son’s house.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

The down payment was $100, which they had to borrow from my mother’s father.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

Related Words

• deposit