# debit

/ˈdɛbɪt/ (US) · /dˈɛbɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/debit
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. money taken out

noun · CEFR B2

an amount of money taken out of a bank account.

For teachers: a sum of money withdrawn from a bank account, representing a reduction in the balance held by the institution.

- The monthly gym membership is a debit that comes out of my account on the first of the month.
- The bank statement showed a significant debit for the mortgage payment alongside several smaller transactions for utility bills.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'direct debit' for automatic payments.

### 2. accounting entry

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a record in an account showing money that is owed or has been paid out.

For teachers: an entry in the left-hand column of an account, representing an asset or an expense in double-entry bookkeeping.

- The accountant made a debit in the ledger to show the cost of the new equipment.
- Under the double-entry system, every debit recorded in the company's ledger must be offset by a corresponding credit entry elsewhere.

Usage: In formal accounting, debits must always balance with credits.

### 3. to take money from

verb · CEFR B2

to take money from a bank account or to record a payment.

For teachers: to remove an amount of money from a bank account or to record a transaction as a debt in an account.

- The shop will debit the total amount from your account within three working days.
- The telecommunications provider is authorised to debit the customer's account automatically on the fifteenth of each month.

Usage: Usually takes a direct object (the account or the amount).

### 4. related to bank cards

adjective · CEFR B1

relating to a bank card that takes money directly from your account.

For teachers: relating to the immediate transfer of funds from a bank account, specifically regarding payment cards.

- I prefer using my debit card because it helps me spend only the money I actually have.
- The merchant terminal was configured to accept both debit and credit transactions, though the processing fees for each differed significantly.

Usage: Almost always used as a modifier before 'card'.

## Examples

- The gym membership appears as a monthly debit on my statement.
- I noticed an unfamiliar debit of fifty dollars on my account and immediately called the bank to report it.
- In double-entry bookkeeping, every debit recorded in one account must be balanced by a corresponding credit in another to ensure the accounting equation remains in equilibrium.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.