depot
Americannoun
-
a railroad station.
- Synonyms:
- terminal
-
a bus station.
- Synonyms:
- terminal
-
Military.
-
a place in which supplies and materials are stored for distribution.
-
(formerly) a place where recruits are assembled for classification, initial training, and assignment to active units.
-
-
a storehouse or warehouse, as a building where freight is deposited.
-
Physiology. a place where body products not actively involved in metabolic processes are accumulated, deposited, or stored.
noun
-
a storehouse or warehouse
-
military
-
a store for supplies
-
a training and holding centre for recruits and replacements
-
-
a building used for the storage and servicing of buses or railway engines
-
-
a bus or railway station
-
( as modifier )
a depot manager
-
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of depot
1785–95; < French dépot < Latin dēpositum, noun use of neuter of dēpositus; see deposit
Explanation
A depot is a place where things are stored in large quantities for future use. Your office might have a depot in the back where supplies are stored. Depot came into English from the French word dépôt, meaning "a deposit, place of deposit." A depot can be a place like a warehouse where items are temporarily deposited, but we also use it for a train or bus station. In this case, think of it as a place where a many passengers are being temporarily housed. Your bus trip might require you to get off one bus at a big depot, and transfer to another.
Vocabulary lists containing depot
"Night," Vocabulary from the memoir
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"An Awful Human Trade," Vocabulary from the news article
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Illegal
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They are part of HS2's Delta junction, a complex triangular network of 13 viaducts, and will allow southbound trains to join the spur into Birmingham Curzon Street and the rolling stock depot at Washwood Heath.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
In late March at the annual Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tenn., Georgia Anne Muldrow bounced on sparkling silver high-heeled boots at Jackson Terminal, a former railroad freight depot.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
"There is no petrol at the depot for the past four days," said one tanker driver, Abdul Shakoor.
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
The images also show smoke coming from Shahran depot in the north-west of the Iranian capital and the Tehran oil refinery, in the south-east.
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026
Within moments of the thought crossing his mind, Bailey is on his feet, running as fast as he can toward the depot.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
