fiscal year

American  

noun

1. any yearly period without regard to the calendar year, at the end of which a firm, government, etc., determines its financial condition.

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fiscal year British  

noun

1. any annual period at the end of which a firm's accounts are made up

2. the annual period ending April 5, over which Budget estimates are made by the British Government and which functions as the income-tax year

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fiscal year Cultural  

1. A twelve-month period for which an organization, such as a government or corporation, plans the use of its funds. Commonly, fiscal years run from July 1 to June 30, or, in the case of the U.S. government, from October 1 to September 30.

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Etymology

Origin of fiscal year

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Example Sentences

Riley was paid more than $11.8 million in total compensation during the fiscal year 2024, according to USC’s latest federal tax returns, which were obtained by The Times.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

The ski-resort operator said Monday it now expects net income of $128 million to $162 million for its current fiscal year, down from a prior forecast of $144 million to $190 million.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

In the last fiscal year to March, bear sightings nationwide topped 50,000, more than double the previous record set two years earlier, according to official data.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

That’s approximately $3 billion less compared with the previous fiscal year.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

Exports and imports of the United States to and from the various gold-using and silver-using or paper-using countries of the world for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889.

From Money: Speech of Hon. John P. Jones, of Nevada, On the Free Coinage of Silver; in the United States Senate, May 12 and 13, 1890 by Jones, John P. (John Percival)

Related Words

• calendar year
• financial year