Deposit

1. A sum of money paid by a buyer as part of the sale price of something in order to reserve it. The deposit may or may not be returned if the sale is not completed.

2. A sum of money lent to or placed with a financial organisation, such as a bank, for a set period or an indeterminate period for safekeeping or to earn interest or as a security to cover potential trading losses.

See also

• Depositor
• Hot money