• deposite (17th-19th centuries)

Learned borrowing from Latin depositus, past participle of depono (“put down”). Doublet of depot.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dɪˈpɒz.ɪt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /dɪˈpɑ.zɪt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒzɪt

deposit (plural deposits)

1. (geology) Sediment or rock that is not native to its present location or is different from the surrounding material. Sometimes refers to ore or gems.
   • 1963, Yuan-li Wu, “The Infant Petroleum Industry”, in Economic Development and the Use of Energy Resources in Communist China‎^[1], Frederick A. Praeger, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 178:

     Newly discovered oil and gas deposits at Nan-ch'ung in Szechwan also promise to be of increasing importance.

2. (law) Bailment of personal property to be kept gratuitously for the bailor (depositor) and without any benefit to the bailee (depositary), e.g. for storage, carriage, repair, etc.
3. (banking) Money placed in a bank account, as for safekeeping or to earn interest.
4. Anything left behind on a surface.

   a mineral deposit

   a deposit of seaweed on the shore

   a deposit of jam on my countertop

5. (finance) A sum of money or other asset given as an initial payment, to show good faith, or to reserve something for purchase.

   Synonyms: earnest money, down payment

   They put down a deposit on the apartment.

6. A sum of money given as a security for a borrowed item, which will be given back when the item is returned, e.g. a bottle deposit or can deposit
7. A place of deposit; a depository.

• refundable

deposit (third-person singular simple present deposits, present participle depositing, simple past and past participle deposited)

1. (transitive) To lay down; to place; to put.

   A crocodile deposits her eggs in the sand.

   The waters deposited a rich alluvium.

   • 1660, Jeremy Taylor, Ductor Dubitantium, or the Rule of Conscience in All Her General Measures;[…], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] James Flesher, for Richard Royston[…], →OCLC:

     This fear is deposited in conscience.

   • 1958 February, Arthur F. Beckenham, “A Journey in the Belgian Congo”, in Railway Magazine, page 93:

     The lights of Luluabourg disappeared, and we were in the blackness of the African night, which was continuously pierced by the showers of red sparks ejected skywards and red hot ashes deposited on the track as the fireman rocked his fire.

2. To lay up or away for safekeeping; to put up; to store.

   Synonym: reposit

   to deposit goods in a warehouse

3. To entrust one's assets to the care of another. Sometimes done as collateral.
4. (transitive) To put money or funds into an account.

   I had to deposit two months' rent into my landlord's account before he gave me the keys.

5. To lay aside; to rid oneself of.
   • 1654, Henry Hammond, Of Schism: or a Defence of the Church of England:

     reform and deposit his error

• withdraw

• dopiest, podites, posited, side pot, sopited, toe-dips, topside