▪ I. depositary, n.
(dɪˈpɒzɪtərɪ)
[ad. L. dēpositāri-us one who receives or makes a deposit, F. dépositaire (14–15th c. in Hatzf.); f. L. dēposit- ppl. stem of dēpōnere (depone, depose): see -ary1. Often confounded with depository, when that is used of a person, or this of a thing.]
1. A person with whom anything is lodged in trust; a trustee; one to whom anything (material or immaterial) is committed or confided. In Law, a bailee of personal property, to be kept by him for the bailor without recompense.
| 1605 Shakes. Lear ii. iv. 254, I gaue you all..Made you my Guardians, my Depositaries. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 495 ¶10 They [Jews]..are the Depositaries of these..Prophecies. 1772 Junius Lett. Ded., I am the sole depositary of my own secret, and it shall perish with me. 1850 A. Jameson Leg. Monast. Ord. Introd. (1863) 17 The Evangelists and Apostles are still enthroned as the depositaries of truth. 1853 C. Brontë Villette xviii, I have never been the depositary of her plans and secrets. 1864 H. Ainsworth John Law i. iv, Voisin was induced..to deliver up the codicil to the king's will, of which he was the depositary. |
2. A place or receptacle in which something is deposited; = depository 1.
| 1797 Godwin Enquirer i. v. 31 Books are the depositary of every thing that is most honourable to man. 1860 Maury Phys. Geog. Sea §466 The ocean then is the great depositary of everything that water can dissolve and carry down from the surface of the continents. 1871 H. Ainsworth Tower Hill ii. x, Used..as a depositary for State records. |
▪ II. depositary, a. rare.
[f. deposit n. + -ary1.]
1. Geol. Belonging to or of the nature of a deposit. [Cf. sedimentary.]
| 1839 Murchison Silur. Syst. i. xx. 259 Before the beds entirely recover their natural depositary characters. Ibid. i. xxxv. 468 The other trap rocks of this district, instead of having a depositary character, have all been intruded. |
2. Receiving deposits: said of a bank.
| 1886 Rept. Sec. of Treasury 88 (Cent. Dict.) A number of failures have taken place among the depositary banks. |