Showing Results for "accounting"

See Also:

• present participle of account.

accounting

American  

[uh-koun-ting] / əˈkaʊn tɪŋ /

noun

1. the theory and system of setting up, maintaining, and auditing the books of a firm; art of analyzing the financial position and operating results of a business house from a study of its sales, purchases, overhead, etc. (distinguished from bookkeeping).

2. a detailed report of the financial state or transactions of a person or entity.

   an accounting of the estate.

3. the rendering or submission of such a report.

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accounting British  

/ əˈkaʊntɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the skill or practice of maintaining and auditing accounts and preparing reports on the assets, liabilities, etc, of a business

   2. ( as modifier )

      an accounting period

      accounting entity

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accounting Cultural  

1. The system of recording and auditing business transactions. (See audit.)

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Etymology

Origin of accounting

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; account + -ing ¹

Explanation

Accounting is the act of computing something, usually by dealing with numbers. If you were very good at math in high school, you might think about going into accounting. You can see the word count within accounting, which is one way to remember that the word has to do with keeping track of numbers — usually in relation to financial transactions. Balancing your checkbook is a form of accounting. Large firms often hire accountants to keep track of their earnings and spending. Accounting can also more generally mean explaining. Someone who decides to wear shorts to the prom is likely going to have some serious accounting to do!

Example Sentences

After accounting for factors such as age, sex, and demographics, the analysis showed that glucosamine use was associated with a 25% greater likelihood that patients with MCI would later develop dementia.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

"I simply brought my accounting system with me to the war. We took the names of grain varieties from the table and entered the types of drones and ammunition there," he told AFP.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Publishing exec Jenny is well off, but nowhere near as wealthy as Marissa, who owns an accounting firm.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

At Joon Um’s tax and accounting firm, new clients are told to finish their paperwork by March 1, or his team may be too busy to make the April 15 deadline.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

If it is in the nature of living things to pool resources, to fuse when possible, we would have a new way of accounting for the progressive enrichment and complexity of form in living things.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• bookkeeping
• computing