line item

noun

: an appropriation that is itemized on a separate line in a budget

line-item

ˈlīn-ˈī-təm 

adjective

Examples of line item in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hiding workforce-scale spend in IT line items avoids the conversation; treating it as labor distorts it. — Priya Sawant, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Those pieces include curtains and woodworking structures, while flowers are calculated on a separate line item, according to the luxury wedding and event planners. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2026

The city’s Public Works Department carries responsibility for upkeep at the two cemeteries in its budget, with no line item other than for contractual services. — Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026

One of the most important line items in that budget will be your marketing. — Lila Allen, Architectural Digest, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above