what is a put option 
a put option or put is a contract giving the option buyer the right but not the obligation to sell or sell short a specified amount of an underlying security at a predetermined price within a specified time frame this predetermined price at which the buyer of the put option can sell the underlying security is called the strike price put options are traded on various underlying assets including stocks currencies bonds commodities futures and indexes a put option can be contrasted with a call option which gives the holder the right to buy the underlying security at a specified price either on or before the expiration date of the option contract investopedia theresa chiechi