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Synonyms

credit card

American  

noun

  1. a card that identifies a person as entitled to have food, merchandise, services, etc., billed on a charge account.

credit card British  

noun

  1. a card issued by banks, businesses, etc, enabling the holder to obtain goods and services on credit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of credit card

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If you have an airline-branded credit card, it often includes the perk of a free checked bag on that carrier — although the card itself might have an annual fee.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

"My credit card, my AmEx, is connected to my phone," she explained.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Lindsay Nead: I’ve heard people say, “Oh, I fully maxed my credit card to get clothing for the show” or “I’m in crazy debt, I left my job.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Others note that credit card debt for low earners has been rising.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Then Dad placed his credit card on the table before getting up to wash the moo shu off his hands.

From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.