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• budget
  budget

  noun

  an estimate, often itemized, of expected income and expense for a given period in the future.
• Budget
  Budget

  noun

  an estimate of British government expenditures and revenues and the financial plans for the ensuing fiscal year presented annually to the House of Commons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer

budget

American  

[buhj-it] / ˈbʌdʒ ɪt /

noun

• budgets
  plural

1. an estimate, often itemized, of expected income and expense for a given period in the future.

2. a plan of operations based on such an estimate.

3. an itemized allotment of funds, time, etc., for a given period.

4. the total sum of money set aside or needed for a purpose.

   the construction budget.

5. a limited stock or supply of something.

   his budget of goodwill.

6. Obsolete. a small bag; pouch.

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adjective

1. reasonably or cheaply priced.

   budget dresses.

verb (used with object)

• budgets,
  present (3rd person singular)
• budgeted,
  past participle,  past
• budgeting
  present participle

1. to plan allotment of (funds, time, etc.).

2. to deal with (specific funds) in a budget.

verb (used without object)

• budgets,
  present (3rd person singular)
• budgeted,
  past participle,  past
• budgeting
  present participle

1. to subsist on or live within a budget.

budget ¹ British  

/ ˈbʌdʒɪt /

noun

1. an itemized summary of expected income and expenditure of a country, company, etc, over a specified period, usually a financial year

2. an estimate of income and a plan for domestic expenditure of an individual or a family, often over a short period, such as a month or a week

3. a restriction on expenditure (esp in the phrase on a budget )

4. (modifier) economical; inexpensive

   budget meals for a family

5. the total amount of money allocated for a specific purpose during a specified period

6. archaic a stock, quantity, or supply

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verb

1. (tr) to enter or provide for in a budget

2. to plan the expenditure of (money, time, etc)

3. (intr) to make a budget

Budget ² British  

/ ˈbʌdʒɪt /

noun

1. an estimate of British government expenditures and revenues and the financial plans for the ensuing fiscal year presented annually to the House of Commons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• budgeter
  noun
• prebudget
  noun
• rebudget
  verb (used with object)
• budgetary
  adjective
• nonbudgetary
  adjective
• prebudgetary
  adjective
• pro-budgeting
  adjective
• unbudgeted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• budgets
  plural

Participles

• budgeting
  present
• budgeted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• budget
  simple
• budgets
  simple
• have budgeted
  perfect
• has budgeted
  perfect
• am budgeting
  progressive
• are budgeting
  progressive
• is budgeting
  progressive
• have been budgeting
  perfect progressive
• has been budgeting
  perfect progressive

Past

• budgeted
  simple
• had budgeted
  perfect
• was budgeting
  progressive
• were budgeting
  progressive
• had been budgeting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will budget
  simple
• will have budgeted
  perfect
• will be budgeting
  progressive
• will have been budgeting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of budget

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English bowgett, from Middle French, bougette, from bouge “bag” (from Latin bulga; see bulge) + -ette -ette )

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Explanation

A budget is a sum of money set aside and divided up to cover particular expenses. Like allotting certain amounts for food, rent, movies, and manicures every month to make sure you don't run out of cash. From the Middle French bougette, the noun budget translated to “leather pouch” when it was first used in the early 15th century. Perhaps a leather pouch to hold gold coins? It wasn’t until 1733 that the word took on the more specific financial meaning it has nowadays. You can budget all sorts of things, including time, money, and energy. Every year, Congress tries to balance the federal budget — but that's no easy task.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

budget Budget budgets budgeted budgeting

Nvidia’s revenue could still grow in an expanding market while it captures a smaller share of a customer’s budget or accepts lower margins to secure business.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

Other data due in the coming week include public finance data for September on Wednesday, which come ahead of Treasury Chief John Healey’s budget statement on Oct.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Nearly a third of the education ministry's budget for 2027 is to go towards pensions, according to a government report on the draft plan.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

The U.S. federal government’s annual budget deficit reached almost $2 trillion for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the Treasury Department said Friday.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

He said that his budget had been cut.

From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg

In truth, banks were pleasantly surprised they were not hit at the last Budget, given the large profits they have been making in recent years.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, an independent think tank, offers a more modest idea: Simply limit the dollar value of COLAs for higher earners to the amount received by median beneficiaries.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

In 2032, benefits will be cut by 26%, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan federal agency that provides Congress with independent analysis of budgetary and economic issues.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

Chancellor John Healey said the government would look to "provide some breathing space" for households in the Budget.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

The Budget Lodging clerk, who seems to have some familiarity with the housing nightmares of low-wage workers, suggests I keep trying motels.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

“She backed our contracts and our budgets — she has generally supported public safety.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

“There are budgets that have been laid out, but no resources that have been allocated to it yet,” Herrera said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

Although higher inflation will boost tax revenues, it will also eat into the value of departments' cash budgets, the IFS said.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

However, the pace of recovery will depend on Petronas’ spending plans and approved budgets, he adds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Practically overnight the budgets of federal law enforcement agencies soared.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Abubakar has floated a plan for a "targeted" subsidy, described as "capped and budgeted production support tied to fuel refined in Nigeria" to help bring down prices at the pump.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

Earlier this year, Freddie Mac announced that, for mortgages with applications received on or after Jan. 4, 2027, the minimum replacement-reserve allocation will rise to 15% from 10% of annual budgeted assessment income.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

Current estimates indicate that the second correction and orbital insertion should both require less fuel than originally budgeted.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

“I’d be very surprised if people can say that they budgeted accurately in 2026. I don’t think most people did.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

First, experts in mosquito control complained that Congress had not budgeted enough money for the campaign to succeed.

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy

Adam Auriemma on budgeting, renting versus buying, investments, financial advisors, and more!

From Slate ● Oct. 3, 2026

She added that, despite "budgeting proactively" and "being as careful as you can with savings and credit cards", rising bills mean people's financial situations are out of their control.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Related: Classic budgeting rules don’t work anymore — even if your household makes $100,000.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026

Congress established CBO in 1974 to advise its budgeting, and it plays a useful role in tracking monthly spending figures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

She had traveled for stories a few times in the past—down to Columbus, to investigate state budgeting cuts; up to Ann Arbor, when a former Shaker student had started at quarterback in the Michigan-OSU game.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

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Related Words

• account
• allocation
• cost
• total

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