discount

1 of 3

noun

dis·​count ˈdi-ˌskau̇nt 

1

: a reduction made from the gross (see gross entry 1 sense 3b) amount or value of something: such as

a(1)

: a reduction made from a regular or list price

offering customers a ten percent discount

buy tickets at a discount

(2)

: a proportionate deduction from a debt account usually made for cash or prompt payment

b

: a deduction made for interest in advancing money upon or purchasing a bill or note not due

2

: the act or practice of discounting (see discount entry 2)

3

: a deduction taken or allowance made

… we may … have to make very heavy discount, or even sometimes to reject our author's conclusions altogether.

—G. G. Coulton

discount

2 of 3

verb

dis·​count ˈdi-ˌskau̇nt  di-ˈskau̇nt 

discounted; discounting; discounts

transitive verb

1

a

: to make a deduction (see deduction sense 1a) from usually for cash or prompt payment

a discounted price

b

: to sell or offer for sale at a discount (see discount entry 1 sense 1)

discounting last year's model

2

: to lend money on after deducting the discount

3

a

: to leave out of account or consideration : disregard

discount the possibility that the situation may worsen

its effect cannot be entirely discounted

b

: to minimize the importance of

shouldn't discount his contributions

c(1)

: to make allowance (see allowance entry 1 sense 2) for bias or exaggeration in

discount most of their claims

(2)

: to view with doubt

discount a rumor

d

: to anticipate or take into account (something, such as a future event) in present calculations or planning

… mail came chiefly from those organized groups whose opposition had already been discounted …

—Time

intransitive verb

: to give or make discounts (see discount entry 1)

stores planning to discount after the holidays

discounter

ˈdi-ˌskau̇n-tər 

di-ˈskau̇n-

noun

discount

3 of 3

adjective

dis·​count ˈdi-ˌskau̇nt 

1

a

: selling goods or services for less than their regular or list price : selling goods or services at a discount (see discount entry 1 sense 1a(1))

discount stores

a discount broker

discount airlines

b

: offered or sold at a discount

discount tickets

2

: reflecting a discount

discount prices

Synonyms

Noun

• abatement
• deduction
• reduction

Verb

• blink (at)
• brush (aside or off)
• condone
• disregard
• excuse
• forgive
• gloss (over)
• gloze (over)
• ignore
• overlook
• overpass
• paper over
• pardon
• pass over
• remit
• shrug off
• whitewash
• wink (at)

Example Sentences

Noun

The store offers a two percent discount when customers pay in cash.

a discount of 20% from the original price

Verb

The vacation plan included a discounted price on our hotel room.

Car dealers are heavily discounting last year's unsold models.

These threats cannot be entirely discounted.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There are ways to pay less than $139 for Prime, though, including student accounts and discounts for EBT and Medicaid recipients. —Chloe Albanesius, PCMAG, 1 June 2023

Burger 21 burger discount On Sunday, get one of its 101 Burgers for just $3 at participating Burger 21 locations. —Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 27 May 2023

But things are way too expensive now to let an uncomfortable feeling stand in the way of a discount. —Jacob Passy, WSJ, 26 May 2023

Tickets start at $300, with discounts for group tables. —Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2023

Reward loyal customers through coupons, points, discounts, special gifts and more. —Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2023

Other seasonal perks include V.I.Passholder Days in June and Disney resort stay discounts of up to 25 percent. —Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2023

Economists say the discount the United States has enjoyed for decades on borrowing could end. —Jeff Stein, Anchorage Daily News, 14 May 2023

The steepest discount is on a high-rise, straight-leg style from NYDJ, which are up to 65 percent off. —Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 14 May 2023

Verb

The city of Washington, D.C., has the real authority to enforce decisions, but the influence of neighbors complaining in unison cannot be discounted. —Noreen Malone, New York Times, 1 June 2023

Other Big Three models are also discounted: the 2023 Dodge Charger and 2023 Ford Edge are both seven percent off right now. —Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 28 May 2023

Schwarz seemed to discount the urgency of lawmakers' rush to prevent harms to civil rights, though, suggesting instead that preventing monetary harms should be the goal of regulations and that there is seemingly no need for that yet. —Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 11 May 2023

The routes come as Frontier has discounted its unlimited summer flight pass by $500 through the end of the month. —Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2023

First-time members can purchase a membership for $10 or a Plus membership – which includes free shipping, curbside pickup and discounted same-day delivery – for $70. —Chandra Fleming, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2023

This is not even discounting the traditional bulls*** from 2016 where businessmen with no political experience couldn't win. —Gabe Kaminsky, Washington Examiner, 14 Apr. 2023

This denim button-down shirt is no exception, and right now, it's doubly discounted. —Claire Harmeyer, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2023

This isn’t to say sexism in sports is fixed or to discount the important questions about race being asked after LSU’s defeat of Iowa in the women’s final. —Amy Bass, CNN, 4 Apr. 2023

Adjective

But that’s still a discount-rack price for a car that cost around $110,000 when new. —Mike Sutton, Car and Driver, 5 May 2022

At the gate only are discount senior tickets for $8, a weekend pass for $25 and a four-to-a-car admission of $55. —Kathy Cichon, chicagotribune.com, 28 July 2021

The stories energized widespread discussion of the lab-leak theory on social media, which quickly became meshed with theories about bioweapons research — a strain of speculation that scientists still strongly discount. —Washington Post, 10 June 2021

Select facial cleansers, serums, and moisturizers are marked 30 percent off, including this $8 (post-discount) gem. —Sarah Han, Allure, 9 Apr. 2021

Black Friday isn't the only discount day worth counting down to. —Brittney Morgan, House Beautiful, 7 Jan. 2020

According to BBC News’ Helen Briggs, the research doesn’t fully discount climate change’s contribution to cave bears’ extinction. —Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, 16 Aug. 2019

And discount German grocery chain Aldi is growing rapidly in the United States. —Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 27 June 2019

Businesses from Phoenix to Gilbert to Surprise are offering free or almost free food and free or discount admission into museums and aqariums for Mother's Day. —Georgann Yara And Sonja Haller, azcentral, 8 May 2018

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Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, and Adjective

modification of French décompter, from Old French desconter, from Medieval Latin discomputare, from Latin dis- + computare to count — more at count

First Known Use

Noun

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1621, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Adjective

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing discount

• at a discount
• bank discount
• trade discount
• cash discount
• discount rate

• at a discount
• bank discount
• trade discount
• cash discount
• discount rate

Kids Definition

discount

1 of 2 noun

dis·​count ˈdis-ˌkau̇nt 

: an amount taken off a regular price

a ten percent discount for all employees

discount

2 of 2 verb

dis·​count ˈdis-ˌkau̇nt  dis-ˈkau̇nt 

1

a

: to lower the amount of a bill, debt, or charge

b

: to sell or offer for sale at a lowered price

2

a

: minimize sense 2b

shouldn't discount the importance of studying

b

: to believe only partly : view with doubt

discount the rumors

discountable

-ə-bəl

adjective

Legal Definition

discount

1 of 3 noun

dis·​count ˈdis-ˌkau̇nt 

: a reduction made from the gross amount or value of something: as

a

: a reduction made from a regular or list price or a proportionate deduction from a debt account usually made for prompt payment or for payment in cash

b

: a reduction made for interest in advancing money upon or purchasing a note not yet due

c

: a reduction in the price of a bond see also discount bond at bond sense 2

d

: the sale of securities that are issued below and redeemed at face value compare premium sense 1

discount

2 of 3 transitive verb

dis·​count ˈdis-ˌkau̇nt, dis-ˈkau̇nt 

1

a

: to make a deduction from usually for cash or prompt payment

b

: to sell or offer at a lowered price

2

: to lend money on after deducting a discount

banks discount negotiable instruments

3

: to take into account (a future event or prospect) in making present calculations

intransitive verb

: to give or make discounts

discount

3 of 3 adjective

dis·​count ˈdis-ˌkau̇nt 

1

a

: selling goods or services at a discount

a discount broker

b

: offered or sold at a discount

discount securities

2

: reflecting a discount

the discount price