commercial bank

American  

noun

1. a bank specializing in checking accounts and short-term loans.

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commercial bank British  

noun

1. a bank primarily engaged in making short-term loans from funds deposited in current accounts

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Etymology

Origin of commercial bank

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Notably, Affirm is moving to become an industrial loan company rather than a commercial bank.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

The deal will make the Madrid-headquartered firm the tenth largest retail and commercial bank in the U.S. by assets, and the fifth largest by deposits in the Northeast.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 4, 2026

Farmer described the deal with Fifth Third as taking Comerica, a strong commercial bank, and “marrying that with a really great retail deposit base.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 7, 2025

The scheme is being funded by JLR itself, using credit provided by a commercial bank.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025

In the 1966-70 period subsidiary functions of the bank gained in importance, including small-scale commercial bank transactions, personal loans, and tax collections.

From Area Handbook for Romania by Bernier, Donald W.