English Reference
noun

installment

n.
US /ˌɪnˈstɔɫmənt/ UK /ɪnstˈɔːlmənt/ in·stall·ment UK spelling installment's, installment's, instalment

  1. 01 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.

    Simple

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

    In context

    Readers waited with great anticipation for the next installment of the serialized novel to appear in the Sunday newspaper.

  2. 02 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.

    Simple

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

    In context

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

It is paid monthly instalments 14 times per year like salaries are in Spain.

The Local· 21 Aug 2026

Post your questions in the comments by 6pm this Thursday 13 August and we’ll print his answers in the next instalment of our readers’ interview series.

The Guardian· 12 Aug 2026

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).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin goh stal
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated