Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

payback

 noun
     
pay‧back
1 [countable] the money or advantage you gain from a business, project, or something you have done:
The immediate payback for them is publicity.
2 [uncountable] American English informal when you do something to make someone suffer because of something they have done to harm you [↪ revenge]:
3

payback period

a) the period of time in which you will make a profit on an investment
b) the period of time over which you must pay back money you have borrowed
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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