remittance

noun

re·​mit·​tance ri-ˈmi-tᵊn(t)s 

1

a

: a sum of money remitted

b

: an instrument by which money is remitted

2

: transmittal of money (as to a distant place)

Did you know?

Since the 14th century, the verb remit has afforded a variety of meanings, including "to lay aside (a mood or disposition)," "to release from the guilt or penalty of," "to submit or refer for consideration," and "to postpone or defer." It is derived from Latin mittere (meaning "to let go" or "to send"), which is also the root of the English verbs admit, commit, emit, omit, permit, submit, and transmit. Use of remittance in financial contexts referring to the release of money as payment isn't transacted until the 17th century.

Synonyms

• compensation
• consideration
• pay
• payment
• recompense
• remuneration
• requital

Examples of remittance in a Sentence

Remittance can be made by check or credit card.

she always mails in her remittance on time so she won't ever be charged a late fee on her electric bill

Recent Examples on the Web

Lukas Schulze | Sportsfile for Web Summit via Getty Images LONDON — British digital remittances company Zepz is laying off dozens of IT workers and is in the process of closing down business units in Poland and Kenya. —Ryan Browne, CNBC, 12 Feb. 2025

And because remittances make up about a fifth of GDP in Guatemala and about a quarter in El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, large-scale deportations threaten to deliver a brutal shock to their economies. —Will Freeman, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2025

Studies show that households receiving remittances tend to have lower levels of resilience and financial security. —Whitney Eulich, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jan. 2025

Migrants’ remittances already significantly boost developing economies; in 2022, migrants sent home over $831 billion. —Amy Pope, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

remit entry 1 + -ance

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing remittance

• remittance man

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Kids Definition

remittance

noun

re·​mit·​tance ri-ˈmit-ᵊn(t)s 

1

: money sent especially in payment

2

: a sending of money (as to a distant place)

Legal Definition

remittance

noun

re·​mit·​tance ri-ˈmit-ᵊns 

1

a

: a sum of money remitted

b

: an instrument by which money is remitted

2

: transmittal of money (as to a distant place)