debit

1 of 2

verb

deb·​it ˈde-bət How to pronounce debit (audio)
debited; debiting; debits

transitive verb

: to enter upon the debit side of an account : charge with a debit

debit

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a record of an indebtedness
specifically : an entry on the left-hand side of an account constituting an addition to an expense or asset account or a deduction from a revenue, net worth, or liability account
b
: the sum of the items entered as debits
2
: a charge against a bank deposit account
3

Examples of debit in a Sentence

Verb The bank mistakenly debited my account $200! Your account will automatically be debited for the amount of your insurance bill every month. Noun I forgot to enter some of the debits in my bank account register. The account's credits were added and the debits subtracted. a $30 debit for groceries
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Beginning Thursday, Bank of America credit and debit cardholders who are also part of the Starbucks Rewards loyalty program will get 2% cash back and one additional star for every $2 spent on orders through the coffee chain’s app. Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 15 Feb. 2024 When this happens, banks can charge a fee when a customer attempts to withdraw or debit their account more than their available funds. Ken Sweet, Fortune, 25 Jan. 2024 Additionally, fiat players can make their deposits via eCheck, MoneyGram, money orders, bank transfers, and debit/credit cards. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2024 But what began as a niche service expanded into an enormous profit center for banks with the proliferation of debit cards, which has customers debiting their bank accounts for small and large amounts each day, often multiple times. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 17 Jan. 2024 What started as a niche service became a massive profit center for the banks after the proliferation of debit cards that caused customers to debit their bank accounts for small and large amounts of money multiple times a day. Ken Sweet, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2024 But despite the slight uptick in gig work, BofA data shows their credit and debit spending growth is still slower than that of baby boomers. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2023 Were your payments being automatically debited from your checking account? Janet Novack, Forbes, 13 Aug. 2023 Motorists with the devices can expect to have their toll debited automatically from an account as usual. Brennon Dixson, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2023
Noun
Your home is yours, free and clear, and that hefty monthly debit can go toward fun, family, and living life to the fullest. Wes Moss, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Ohio passed a law in 2023 requiring public schools to accept cash payment for after-school event tickets or let people who don't have debit or credit cards in for free. Journal Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2024 The Government Accountability Office (GAO) also found that the debit card law had a financial impact beyond costs at the register, as the law resulted in a loss of debit rewards programs and free checking accounts. Richard Hunt, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2024 According to the Federal Reserve Board, 66% of all Visa transactions, and nearly 50% of Mastercard transactions, but less than 2% of Discover network transactions are subject to the debit fee limit. Emily Mason, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Such information could include physical and email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security and tax data, debit or credit card numbers, license plate information and birth and marital records. Hannah Gaskill, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2024 The information police received from Cash App revealed that 27 separate payment sources, including 25 debit or credit cards and two Cash App cards, were added to Reid's account from when his account was created in 2020 to Nov. 8, 2023, according to the affidavit. Stepheny Price, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2024 There, according to prosecutors, the trio took the soldier’s wallets, debit and credit cards, and cellphones. Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2024 Consider setting limits on credit card spending, or using cash or debit to keep your budget in check. Nerdwallet, Hartford Courant, 16 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'debit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin debitum debt

First Known Use

Verb

1668, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of debit was in 1668

Dictionary Entries Near debit

Cite this Entry

“Debit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debit. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

debit

1 of 2 verb
deb·​it ˈdeb-ət How to pronounce debit (audio)
: to enter as a debit : charge with or as a debt

debit

2 of 2 noun
: an entry in an account representing an amount paid out or owed

More from Merriam-Webster on debit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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