Definition of safe-deposit box
: a box (as in the vault of a bank) for safe storage of valuables — called also
safety-deposit box
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Recent Examples of safe-deposit box from the Web
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The gang of mostly elderly men drilled through a concrete vault wall and ransacked more than 70 safe-deposit boxes.
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After years of having more than one identity (rather like fictional spies having a safe-deposit box full of passports) companies are electing, or being forced, to show more allegiance to a particular country.
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Slipping them on would require Neal Dahlen driving to the bank near his home in Aurora, Colo., and retrieving them from a safe-deposit box.
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Another answer could be a safe-deposit box at my bank.
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The new plan suspends that deduction for employee business expenses paid after 2017, including legal fees, accounting fees, tax-prep fees, investment advice, safe-deposit boxes, etc.
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Protect your important papers from ruin or theft by keeping them secure in a safe-deposit box, or a fireproof, water-resistant safe in your home.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'safe-deposit box.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of safe-deposit box
1870
Financial Definition of SAFE-DEPOSIT BOX
safe-deposit box
What It Is
A safe deposit box is a metal box, usually housed in a bank vault, that customers can rent in order to keep valuables, legal documents and other prized possessions in a secure location.
How It Works
Obtaining a safe deposit box is usually as simple as going to a local bank and asking for one. The customer must pay a rental fee (usually monthly) and will receive a key to the box. Safe deposit boxes come in different sizes, depending on what the customer needs to store. The customer places his or her valuables in the box, locks the door, and leaves the bank. To open a safe deposit box, two keys are necessary: one from the bank and one from the customer. Without these keys, the box does not open.
Safe deposit boxes are almost always in the bank's vault, which protects them from theft, fire and flooding (in theory).
Why It Matters
Safe deposit boxes provide a way for people to keep valuables safe but out of the house and less vulnerable to theft. They are also a way to ensure privacy: Nobody but the keyholder can look at the contents, and the bank cannot access the contents on its own (remember, both keys must be present to open the box).
It is a good idea to consider storing some of the following in a safe deposit box: wills, birth certificates, passports, diplomas, social security cards, property deeds, copies of videotapes of home contents, rare coins, expensive jewelry and copies of insurance policies.
It is important to note that the bank does not insure the contents of a safe deposit box, nor does the FDIC. It is also important to note that if the owner of the safe deposit box fails to make the monthly rental payment on the box, the bank usually has the right to seize the contents of the box or turn the box over to the state as unclaimed property.
Source: Investing Answers
SAFE-DEPOSIT BOX Defined for English Language Learners
safe-deposit box
Definition of safe-deposit box for English Language Learners
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: a strong metal box in a bank that has a lock and that is used to store money or other valuable things
Learn More about safe-deposit box
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See words that rhyme with safe-deposit box Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for safe-deposit box Spanish Central: Translation of safe-deposit box
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