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Definition of layaway

layaway

/ˈleɪ.əˌweɪ/
lay · a · way
Plural:layaways
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layaway Lexical Profile

layaway Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A retail purchasing system in which a customer places a deposit on an item to have the store hold it until the full price is paid in installments.

Example

"She put the winter coat on layaway so she could pay for it gradually over the next two months."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for layaway

• Rhymes for layaway

• Nearby Words

laxness
lay
layabout
layaway
layer
layered
layering

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in American English during the Great Depression of the 1930s from the phrasal verb 'lay away' (to set aside for future use), when cash-strapped shoppers needed a way to purchase goods in installments without credit.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Layaway. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/layaway
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