debit

American  

[deb-it] / ˈdɛb ɪt /

noun

1. the recording or an entry of debt in an account.

2. Bookkeeping.

   1. that which is entered in an account as a debt; a recorded item of debt.

   2. any entry or the total shown on the debit side.

   3. the left-hand side of an account on which such entries are made (opposed to credit).

3. an undesirable or disadvantageous feature.

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verb (used with object)

1. to charge with a debt.

   The store debited her account for the purchase.

2. to charge as a debt.

   The store debited the purchase to her account.

3. Bookkeeping. to enter upon the debit side of an account.

debit British  

/ ˈdɛbɪt /

noun

1. 1. acknowledgment of a sum owing by entry on the left side of an account

   2. the left side of an account

   3. an entry on this side

   4. the total of such entries

   5. ( as modifier ) Compare credit

      a debit balance

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verb

1. (tr)

   1. to record (an item) as a debit in an account

   2. to charge (a person or his account) with a debt Compare credit

Other Word Forms

• predebit
  noun
• redebit
  verb (used with object)
• undebited
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of debit

1400–50; late Middle English < Old French < Latin dēbitum something owed; see debt

Explanation

A debit is a payment made or charged, or the notation of the amount charged. Trying to track down the mysterious $2 debit to your bank account is almost never fruitful, but you’re bound to do it anyway. From the Latin debere, meaning “to owe,” and just one i away from its more blunt cousin debt, a debit seems like a little word. But add an s to the end, and those charges really add up. You can use the word debit as a verb — “to debit your account,” or a noun — “the debit on your account,” but either way, a debit means you have less money than you had before!

Example Sentences

Debit and credit sales volume continue to perform well, he adds, up 7% year-on-year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

Debit and credit card fees are among the top monthly expenses for many small businesses, which say the costs are becoming more onerous as fewer consumers carry cash.

From New York Times • Nov. 30, 2024

Debit cards are linked to a bank or credit union account, meaning one generally can’t spend more money than they have in their account.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 9, 2024

Debit card use rose last year to account for half of the 46 billion payments made by consumers and businesses last year, according to the UK Finance data.

From BBC • Sep. 13, 2023

In his fine, round hand, Skinner inscribed in the little book the following:— Dress-Suit Account Debit Credit   One social triumph.

From Skinner's Dress Suit by Wilson, F. Vaux (Francis Vaux)