DOWN PAYMENT

A percentage of the total purchase price of an item that is proffered when the item is bought on credit.

In an installment sales agreement, a buyer is required to pay part of the total price, usually in cash, and later pays the balance through a number of regularly scheduled payments.

A down payment is sometimes known as earnest money, or a sum of money that a buyer pays upon entering a contract to indicate a good faith intention as well as an ability to pay the balance.

down pay·ment • n. an initial payment made when something is bought on credit.