in·vest·ment 1 n: investiture (1)
investment 2 n
1: the outlay of money usu. for income or profit: capital outlay; also: the sum invested or the property purchased
2: the commitment of funds with a view to minimizing risk and safeguarding capital while earning a return compare speculation
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.