payment

/ˈpeɪmənt/

/ˈpeɪmənt/

Other forms: payments

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."

Definitions of payment

1. noun

   the act of paying money
   synonyms: defrayal, defrayment

   antonyms:

   nonpayment

   the deliberate act of failing to pay money

   types:

   amortisation, amortization

   payment of an obligation in a series of installments or transfers

   fee splitting

   payment (usually by doctors or lawyers) of part of the fee in return for the referral

   overpayment

   the act of paying too much

   prepayment

   money given in advance for a good or service

   ransom

   payment for the release of someone

   refund, repayment

   the act of returning money received previously

   remuneration

   the act of paying for goods or services or to recompense for losses

   rendering

   giving in acknowledgment of obligation

   disbursal, disbursement, outlay, payout, spending

   the act of spending or distributing money

   tribute

   payment by one nation for protection by another

   underpayment

   the act of paying less than required

   expending, expenditure

   the act of spending money for goods or services

   compensatory spending, deficit spending, pump priming

   spending money raised by borrowing; used by governments to stimulate their economy

   type of:

   commerce, commercialism, mercantilism

   transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services)
2. noun

   a sum of money paid or a claim discharged
   antonyms:

   nonpayment

   loss resulting from failure of a debt to be paid

   types:

   royalty

   payment to the holder of a patent or copyright or resource for the right to use their property

   bonus, incentive

   an additional payment (or other remuneration) to employees as a means of increasing output

   overpayment

   a payment larger than needed or expected

   underpayment

   a payment smaller than needed or expected

   subscription

   a payment for consecutive issues of a newspaper or magazine for a given period of time

   regular payment

   a payment made at regular times

   blood money

   paid to a hired murderer

   recompense

   payment or reward (as for service rendered)

   refund

   money returned to a payer

   conscience money

   payment made voluntarily to reduce guilt over dishonest dealings

   support payment

   a payment made by one person for the support of another

   reward

   payment made in return for a service rendered

   bribe, payoff

   payment made to a person in a position of trust to corrupt his judgment

   residual

   (often plural) a payment that is made to a performer or writer or director of a television show or commercial that is paid for every repeat showing

   benefit

   financial assistance in time of need

   lump sum

   a complete payment consisting of a single sum of money

   final payment, payoff

   the final payment of a debt

   remission, remitment, remittal, remittance

   a payment of money sent to a person in another place

   quittance, repayment

   payment of a debt or obligation

   token payment

   a small payment made in acknowledgement of an obligation

   penalty

   a payment required for not fulfilling a contract

   pittance

   an inadequate payment

   insurance premium, premium

   payment for insurance

   installment

   a payment of part of a debt; usually paid at regular intervals

   deposit, down payment

   a partial payment made at the time of purchase; the balance to be paid later

   satisfaction

   (law) the payment of a debt or fulfillment of an obligation

   credit, deferred payment

   arrangement for deferred payment for goods and services

   cash, immediate payment

   prompt payment for goods or services in currency or by check

   stock option

   a benefit given by a company to an employee in the form of an option to buy stock in the company at a discount or at a fixed price

   bounty, premium

   payment or reward (especially from a government) for acts such as catching criminals or killing predatory animals or enlisting in the military

   premium

   a prize, bonus, or award given as an inducement to purchase products, enter competitions initiated by business interests, etc.

   dividend

   a bonus; something extra (especially a share of a surplus)

   sales incentive

   remuneration offered to a salesperson for exceeding some predetermined sales goal

   adjustment, allowance

   an amount added or deducted on the basis of qualifying circumstances

   earnings, pay, remuneration, salary, wage

   something that remunerates

   discount, rebate

   a refund of some fraction of the amount paid

   compensation

   something (such as money) given or received as payment or reparation (as for a service or loss or injury)

   palimony

   support paid by one half of an unmarried partnership after the relationship ends

   alimony, maintenance

   court-ordered support paid by one spouse to another after they are separated

   honorarium

   a fee paid for a nominally free service

   blood money

   a reward for information about a murderer

   guerdon

   a reward or payment

   meed

   a fitting reward

   hush money

   a bribe paid to someone to insure that something is kept secret

   kickback

   a commercial bribe paid by a seller to a purchasing agent in order to induce the agent to enter into the transaction

   payola

   a bribe given to a disc jockey to induce him to promote a particular record

   soap

   money offered as a bribe

   stipend

   a sum of money allotted on a regular basis; usually for some specific purpose

   annuity, rente

   income from capital investment paid in a series of regular payments

   installment buying, installment plan, time plan

   a system for paying for goods by installments

   cost-of-living benefit

   a benefit that goes to anyone whose money receipts increase automatically as prices rise

   death benefit

   insurance or pension money payable to a beneficiary of a deceased

   disability benefit

   insurance benefits paid in case of disability

   sick benefit, sickness benefit

   money paid (by the government) to someone who is too ill to work

   fringe benefit, perk, perquisite

   an incidental benefit awarded for certain types of employment (especially if it is regarded as a right)

   child support

   court-ordered support paid by one spouse to the other who has custody of the children after the parents are separated

   redemption

   repayment of the principal amount of a debt or security at or before maturity (as when a corporation repurchases its own stock)

   requital, retribution

   a justly deserved penalty

   forfeit, forfeiture

   a penalty for a fault or mistake that involves losing or giving up something

   amercement, fine, mulct

   money extracted as a penalty

   margin, security deposit

   the amount of collateral a customer deposits with a broker when borrowing from the broker to buy securities

   disability check, disability payment

   a monthly payment made to someone who has become disabled and is unable to work

   pension

   a regular payment to a person that is intended to allow them to subsist without working

   type of:

   cost

   the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor
3. noun

   an act of requiting; returning in kind
   synonyms: requital

   type of:

   getting even, paying back, return

   a reciprocal group action