Definition of accounting
1
: the system of recording and summarizing business and financial transactions and analyzing, verifying, and reporting the results
also
: the principles and procedures of this system
studied accounting as a freshman
2a
: work done in accounting or by accountants
b
: an instance of applied accounting or of the settling or presenting of accounts
3
: account sense 2
They were required to provide a detailed accounting of their actions.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Who Knew?
-
- What is a ruelle?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Spell words. Make bears.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Share accounting
Time Traveler for accounting
The first known use of accounting was circa 1676
See more words from the same year