current account
Americannoun
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Also called open account. an account of credits, debits, receipts, and expenditures between two individuals or companies, usually providing for settlement at the end of specified accounting periods.
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(in certain foreign countries) a checking account.
noun
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Canadian name: chequing account. US name: checking account. an account at a bank or building society against which cheques may be drawn at any time
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economics that part of the balance of payments composed of the balance of trade and the invisible balance Compare capital account
Etymology
Origin of current account
First recorded in 1840–50
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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.
Bad news for a country that runs chronic current account deficits.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
A weaker rupee makes imports costlier and exports more competitive, helping narrow the current account deficit over time.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
His most recent academic work relates to how reputational concerns impact the monetary policy External link of central banks and how current account deficits impact future generations External link.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
Analysts at French investment banking firm Natixis Research published a report Thursday which warned that declining current account surpluses will weaken Asian currencies, raising inflation expectations and lead to tighter financial conditions.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026
So if I buy a bar of gold worth £500,1 credit £500 to my current account, and I debit £500 to my list of assets.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
