deposit

1 of 2

verb

de·​pos·​it di-ˈpä-zət How to pronounce deposit (audio)
deposited di-ˈpä-zə-təd How to pronounce deposit (audio)
-ˈpäz-təd
; depositing di-ˈpä-zə-tiŋ How to pronounce deposit (audio)
-ˈpäz-tiŋ

transitive verb

1
: to place especially for safekeeping or as a pledge
depositing her tools in the trunk of the car
especially, economics : to put in a bank
having your paycheck automatically deposited into your bank account
2
a
: to lay down : place
deposited himself in the chair next to me
b
: to let fall (something, such as sediment)
layers of mud that had been deposited by the flood

intransitive verb

: to become deposited
depositor
di-ˈpä-zə-tər How to pronounce deposit (audio)
-ˈpäz-tər
noun

deposit

2 of 2

noun

1
: the state of being deposited
2
: something placed for safekeeping: such as
a
: money deposited in a bank
making a deposit or a withdrawal
a deposit of $3,000
b
: money given as a pledge or down payment
put down a deposit on a new house
3
: a place of deposit : depository
4
: an act of laying or putting something or someone down : an act of depositing
the deposit of boulders by ancient glaciers
5
a
: something laid down
especially : matter deposited by a natural process
sandy deposits at the river's mouth
fatty deposits in the arteries
b
geology : a natural accumulation (as of iron ore, coal, or gas)

Examples of deposit in a Sentence

Verb Your paycheck will be automatically deposited into your account. I deposited over $3,000 this afternoon. Please deposit your things in your room and return to the hotel lobby. The taxi deposited us at the train station. Noun Our records show that she made a large deposit to her account earlier in the month. If you return that empty soda can, you'll get back the five-cent deposit you paid when you bought the soda. The rental car company requires a deposit for drivers under the age of 25. a deposit of mud left by the flood He had surgery to remove calcium deposits from his knee. the buildup of fat deposits in the arteries Their company has discovered new oil deposits below the ocean floor.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Buyers must deposit $1,000 per lot in Pipestone, and will lose the deposit if the offer is not acted upon within 90 days. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 In this way, carbon is slowly deposited onto the thin slice. Ana De Oliva, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 Additionally, vote-by-mail ballots deposited in mailboxes on or just before election day take days to arrive. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 The female will then deposit her eggs onto the bed, and the male will fertilize them, both fish typically staying nearby until the eggs hatch. Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024 Since then, investors have deposited some $7.35 billion into the 11 different funds available, reported Bloomberg on Monday. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2024 The permit was issued after the developer received a special waiver from the Regional Water Quality Control Board to deposit clean soil. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2024 All fund are being deposited into a bank account established just for the girls. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2024 Another $23 million project is depositing 1.85 million cubic yards of sand at Sunset Beach which will fortify the beaches for some 12 miles toward Newport Beach. Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024
Noun
Ultimately, the researchers want to edit elephant DNA to incorporate traits that allowed mammoths to survive the cold, like shaggy hair, curved tusks and fat deposits. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 Keep in mind that Neteller and Skrill deposits do not qualify for this promotion. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Surprises emerge around every bend in the forms of oak thickets, quartz deposits, errant water birds and lakeside riparian vegetation. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 Strict policies and astronomical deposits Those trendy styles seem to come with a cost, both in higher prices and the mental gymnastics clients often have to do to navigate some of these Instagram stylists’ extensive policies on their booking sites. Annie Blay, Allure, 6 Mar. 2024 This iteration of the open-top Huayra launched in 2019, after Pagani left the Geneva International Motor Show with five unsolicited deposits for a more aggressive version of the Huayra Roadster. Sean Evans, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024 But how many of those with amyloid in the brain (most of whom will also have tau deposits) will eventually develop dementia? Paula Span, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024 The male deposits a package of sperm into the female’s abdominal cavity before scuttling off. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 But this company has a strong foundation, strong liquidity and a strong deposit base — which gives me confidence for our path forward. Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deposit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Latin depositus, past participle of deponere — see depose

First Known Use

Verb

1624, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1621, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deposit was in 1621

Dictionary Entries Near deposit

Cite this Entry

“Deposit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deposit. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

deposit

1 of 2 verb
de·​pos·​it di-ˈpäz-ət How to pronounce deposit (audio)
1
: to place for safekeeping
especially : to put money in a bank
2
: to give as a pledge that a purchase will be made or a service used
deposit $10 on a new bicycle
3
: to lay down : place, put
deposit a parcel on a table
4
: to let fall or sink
silt deposited by a flood
depositor
-ˈpäz-ət-ər How to pronounce deposit (audio)
-ˈpäz-tər
noun

deposit

2 of 2 noun
1
: the state of being deposited
money on deposit
2
a
: something placed for safekeeping
especially : money deposited in a bank
b
: money given as a pledge or down payment
3
: an act of depositing
4
: something laid or thrown down
a deposit of silt left by the flood
5
: an accumulation of mineral matter (as ore, oil, or gas) in nature

Medical Definition

deposit

1 of 2 transitive verb
de·​pos·​it di-ˈpäz-ət How to pronounce deposit (audio)
: to lay down or foster the accumulation of as a deposit
crystals are deposited in the articular cartilage, the synovium, and the capsuleMedical Radiography & Photography

deposit

2 of 2 noun
: matter laid down or accumulated especially in a living organism by a normal or abnormal process
removal of calcium deposits in his knees by arthroscopic surgery

Legal Definition

deposit

1 of 2 transitive verb
de·​pos·​it di-ˈpä-zət How to pronounce deposit (audio)
1
: to place for safekeeping or as security
may deposit the property with the court
especially : to put in a bank account
2
in the civil law of Louisiana : to place (movable property) under a deposit
the depository can not make use of the thing depositedLouisiana Civil Code
depositor noun

deposit

2 of 2 noun
1
: the state of being deposited (as in an account)
holding the property on deposit
compare escrow, trust
2
: something placed for safekeeping: as
a
: money deposited in a bank especially to one's credit
demand deposit
: a bank deposit that can be withdrawn without prior notice
general deposit
: a deposit of money in a bank that is to the credit of the depositor thereby giving the depositor the right to money and creating a debtor-creditor relationship
special deposit
: a deposit that is made for a specific purpose, that is to be returned to the depositor, and that creates a bailment or trust
time deposit
: a bank deposit that can be withdrawn only after a set period of time or with prior notice
b
: something given as security see also security deposit

Note: A deposit may be applied to a purchase price or may be considered partial payment.

3
in the civil law of Louisiana
a
: the gratuitous transfer of possession of movable property to another for a limited time or specified purpose such that the depositary is liable to some extent for loss or damage to the property see also sequestration compare bailment, hiring, loan for consumption and loan for use at loan

Note: Like the common-law bailment, the civil law deposit requires either actual or constructive delivery.

necessary deposit
: a deposit compelled by a sudden emergency

Note: The Louisiana Civil Code deems the deposit of travelers' belongings with an innkeeper a necessary deposit.

voluntary deposit
: a deposit that is made by the mutual consent of the depositor and depositary

Note: The consent required may be express or implied, and because of the requirements of consent, only persons with the capacity to contract can make a voluntary deposit.

b
: the movable property that is the object of a deposit
the depositary is bound to use the same diligence in preserving the deposit that he uses in preserving his own propertyLouisiana Civil Code
4
: an act of depositing
upon the deposit of the money in the escrow account
5
: depository
night deposit

More from Merriam-Webster on deposit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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