deposit

A deposit is something left with another party for safekeeping, future delivery, or as security. It can also refer to a natural accumulation of a substance, such as minerals or sediments, laid down in the environment.

In finance, a deposit is funds placed into a bank or other financial institution. The institution records the amount as a liability and generally promises to repay on demand or at a future date. Deposits may be demand deposits, savings or time deposits; they often earn interest and may be insured by government schemes.

A deposit can also be a payment to reserve goods or services, such as a security deposit for a rental or a down payment on a purchase. If conditions are not met, the deposit may be withheld or partially returned.

A mineral or ore deposit is a naturally occurring concentration of minerals that can be mined economically. Deposits form by processes such as precipitation from solutions, solid-state diffusion, weathering, and sedimentation; placer deposits concentrate valuable minerals by gravity.

In materials science, deposition describes the process of a solid material being deposited onto a surface from a solution, melt, or gas. Examples include electroplating, chemical vapor deposition, and physical vapor deposition.

Dental deposits, such as calculus, are mineralized accumulations of dental plaque on teeth.

Deposit handling and protections vary by jurisdiction, including deposit insurance and consumer protection rules.