deposits

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   Sums of money placed in a bank account or paid as the first part of a larger payment.

   Grammar: Countable: one deposit, two deposits. Often used with 'make' or 'pay'.

   Patterns

   • make a deposit
   • pay a deposit on something
   • bank deposits

   She makes regular deposits into her savings account every month.

   The apartment costs $1,200 a month, plus a security deposit of $1,000.

   Bank deposits increased sharply during the holiday season.

2. 2nouncountable

   Layers of a substance that have built up naturally in the ground or on a surface.

   Grammar: Countable, often used in the plural: mineral deposits, fat deposits.

   Patterns

   • mineral deposits
   • fat deposits
   • deposits of something

   Geologists found rich mineral deposits beneath the desert.

   The river leaves deposits of sand along its banks.

   The doctor explained that the fatty deposits in his arteries could be reduced with diet and exercise.

3. 3verbtransitive

   Puts money into a bank account or leaves a layer of something on a surface.

   Grammar: Takes an object: deposit money, deposit a check. Third-person singular: he deposits.

   Patterns

   • deposit money in/into an account
   • deposit a check
   • deposit something on something

   He deposits his paycheck into his checking account every Friday.

   The wind deposits fine dust on the windowsills overnight.

   She deposits $200 each month toward her vacation fund.

Word forms

Common combinations

bank deposits

Bank deposits are insured up to a certain amount.

security deposit

The landlord asked for a security deposit equal to one month's rent.

mineral deposits

The region is known for its rich mineral deposits.

make a deposit

You can make a deposit at any branch or ATM.

deposit slip

Fill out a deposit slip before you go to the teller.

Synonyms and how they differ

payment

A general word for money paid; 'deposit' specifically means part of the total paid in advance.

installment

One of several scheduled payments; a deposit is usually the first payment made to secure something.

Opposites

Word family

deposit noun

The singular form: a single sum of money or layer.

depositor noun

A person who puts money into a bank account.

deposition noun

The natural process of layers building up, or a formal legal statement.

Commonly confused: deposits or withdrawals?

Practice

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