What does "installment" mean?

1. (part of a series) one part of a story that is published or broadcast in several separate pieces. 2. (act of installing) the act of putting a piece of equipment or a person into a new position.

installment

US //ˌɪnˈstɔɫmənt// UK //ɪnstˈɔːlmənt// in·stall·ment

1 part of a series (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

one part of a story that is published or broadcast in several separate pieces.

any of several parts of a published or broadcast serial, such as a book chapter or television episode.

Example

The final installment of the movie trilogy will be in cinemas next summer.

Example

Readers waited with great anticipation for the next installment of the serialized novel to appear in the Sunday newspaper.
2 act of installing (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal

the act of putting a piece of equipment or a person into a new position.

the act of installing or the state of being installed; a less common synonym for installation.

Example

The installment of the new president took place during a formal ceremony.

Example

The rapid installment of the new software across all company workstations prevented further security breaches.
- installation
- induction
- removal

Etymology 1

A 1732 alteration of estallment, from Anglo-Norman estaler (“fix payments”), from Old French estal (“fixed position”), from Old High German stal (“stall", "standing place”) The sense of "part of a whole produced in advance of the rest" is from 1823.

Etymology 2

From install + -ment, install from Old French installer, from Medieval Latin installare, from Medieval Latin in- and Medieval Latin stallum, stall from a Germanic source (compare Old High German stal).