rebate

¹ American  

[ree-beyt, ree-beyt, ri-beyt] / ˈri beɪt, ˈri beɪt, rɪˈbeɪt /

noun

1. a return of part of the original payment for some service or merchandise; partial refund.

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verb (used with object)

rebated, rebating

1. to allow as a discount.

2. to deduct (a certain amount), as from a total.

3. to return (part of an original payment).

   He rebated five dollars to me.

4. to provide a rebate for (merchandise) after purchase.

   The manufacturer is rebating this air conditioner.

5. to blunt (an edged or pointed weapon).

6. to cover the edge or point of (an edged or pointed weapon) in order to make it incapable of cutting or piercing.

verb (used without object)

rebated, rebating

1. to allow rebates, especially as the policy or practice of a company, store, etc.

rebate ² American  

[ree-beyt, rab-it] / ˈri beɪt, ˈræb ɪt /

noun

rebated, rebating

1. rabbet.

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rebate ¹ British  

/ ˈræbɪt, ˈriːbeɪt /

noun

1. another word for rabbet

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rebate ² British  

noun

1. a refund of a fraction of the amount payable or paid, as for goods purchased in quantity; discount

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verb

1. to deduct (a part) of a payment from (the total)

2. archaic to reduce or diminish (something or the effectiveness of something)

rebate Cultural  

1. The return of part of a payment for a good. Unlike a discount, which is deducted from the price before purchase, a rebate is returned after purchase.

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Other Word Forms

• rebatable
  adjective
• rebateable
  adjective
• rebater
  noun

Etymology

Origin of rebate

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English rebaten (verb), from Old French rabatre “to beat, put down,” from re- re- + (a)batre “to beat” ( see abate)

Explanation

A rebate is a partial refund of the cost of an item. It acts as an incentive to help sell the product. If your new cell phone came with a rebate, you'll get a check in the mail for a certain amount of the cost. A well-known rebate occurred in 2007 when President George Bush issued tax rebate checks to many people in America, giving back some of what each person paid in taxes. Rebate comes from the Old French word rabattre, meaning "beat down, drive back." Rebate can also be used as a verb that refers to giving a reduction in price during a sale. For example, your internet provider might rebate your bill for three months to keep you as a customer.

Example Sentences

Kalshi and Polymarket said they rebate some market makers’ fees and sometimes even pay them for providing liquidity.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Nodding to those concerns, Carney recently announced a temporary tax break on fuel and a one-time grocery rebate that will be delivered to Canadians' bank accounts in June.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which serves most of the Palisades, also has a rebate program for electric wildfire rebuilds, with subsidies for all-electric homes or individual appliances.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

I now want to close the account, but the company won’t allow me to do so because I have an active $5 rebate that was added years ago.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

This slab has a rebate on the left side, proving that it belongs to the left end of a frieze.

From A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, British Museum, Volume I (of 2) by Smith, A. H.

Related Words

• abatement
• allowance
• bonus
• deduction
• discount
• kickback
• reduction
• reimbursement
• repayment