noun
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the act of paying
-
a sum of money paid
-
something given in return; punishment or reward
Other Word Forms
- propayment adjective
Etymology
Origin of payment
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, variant of paiement, from Middle French; equivalent to pay 1 + -ment
Explanation
Payment is the process of either giving money to someone, or of receiving money from someone. If you borrow money to buy a car, you'll be expected to make a monthly payment for several years. Your paycheck itself is a payment, and so is the act of your boss handing you that paycheck. There are also types of payment that don't involve money, like when your payment for watching your little cousin one afternoon consists of a big piece of your uncle's famous apple pie. Payment, from the verb pay, is rooted in the Latin pacare, used to mean "satisfy a creditor," but originally defined as "please, satisfy, or make peaceful."
Vocabulary lists containing payment
"...And Although the Little Mermaid Sacrificed Everything..."
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Century 21 Accounting, 9e, Chapters 8-10
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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.
Proponents of the new plan point to a higher minimum payment for all qualifying claimants of $8,000, up from the previous $3,500.
From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026
The chemicals company generated $1.1 billion in cash from its ongoing operations, up $1 billion from last year, mainly due to the payment from Nova.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
I’m wondering if that, combined with my disability income and no house payment, would allow me to retire next year.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026
Rose said that the payment was compensation he had offered for flights, accommodation and medical costs.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
If I worked two jobs and we did not have to pay rent, we could save enough money for a down payment in no time.
From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na
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.
