Definition

A sum of money that is given in exchange for goods or services, or the action of giving that money.

Example

She made a payment for her new car yesterday.

Conversation

Did you receive your payment for that freelance project yet?

Yeah, I got it yesterday, finally!

That's great to hear! Was the payment what you expected?

It was a bit more than I thought, so I'm pretty happy.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Payment → It is formed from "pay" (from Old French *paier*, meaning to satisfy or to recompense) and "-ment" (a suffix used to form nouns indicating an action or resulting state). The word "payment" refers to the act of satisfying a debt or obligation, resulting in recompense.

Memory Tip

Think of the action of 'satisfying' a debt or obligation when you hear 'payment' — it comes from the Old French word for 'to satisfy'.

Visually Confused Words