Rental

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɹɛntəl/

Definitions

1. A temporary agreement wherein one party allows another to use a property or item in return for a specified fee creates a short-term leasing arrangement
2. A contractual setup where a person pays to utilize an asset or property owned by another for a determined period establishes a usage-based financial relationship
3. A binding arrangement in which an individual compensates another party to gain access to a property or an item for a limited duration defines a financial transaction based on short-term usage

Etymology: "Rental" is a plain formation: the noun "rent" with the suffix "-al", which English took from Latin "-ālis" through Old French and Middle English. That suffix forms adjectives meaning "relating to" or "of the nature of," so "rental" originally described something pertaining to rent, and it came to be used as a noun for the sum paid, or for the property or item rented out. The base word "rent" is older still. It goes back to the same ancestral root as the verb "render," with the sense of giving something back or handing it over, which helps explain why a rental is fundamentally a transfer of use in exchange for payment. The -al suffix is the same one found in words like "arrival" and "denial," where it attaches to verbs, while here it attaches to a noun.

Synonyms: lease, hire, let

Antonyms: purchase, sell