checking account

American  

noun

1. a bank deposit against which checks can be drawn by the depositor.

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checking account British  

noun

1. the US name for current account

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Etymology

Origin of checking account

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

Example Sentences

Of the Fed’s major liabilities, two mostly are beyond its control: the deposits that the Treasury Department keeps in its checking account at the Fed, and physical cash.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Some banks will allow a 16-year-old to open a simple checking account on their own behalf, but rules vary.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

Use a high-yield, liquid account, like a Vanguard Cash Plus, for flexibility, easy transfers to a checking account and, given your cautious-to-moderate risk profile, earning 3% to 5% interest.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026

It could go into a checking account instead—there’s cash in those, too—but no net money “went into” the market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

I don’t have no checking account or bank account.

From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson

Related Words

• deposit
• savings account