current account
Americannoun
-
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.
-
(in certain foreign countries) a checking account.
noun
-
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
-
economics that part of the balance of payments composed of the balance of trade and the invisible balance Compare capital account
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of current account
First recorded in 1840–50
Compare meaning
How does current-account compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
That could mean setting up a direct debit from your current account to a savings account, organising cash into different envelopes or using round-up tools that put spare change aside when you spend.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Basic bank accounts have many of the same functions as a regular current account, but are designed for those who might otherwise be excluded from the banking system.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
The won has depreciated almost 6% against the dollar this year, despite similar yields BX:AMBMKKR-10Y, lower inflation, a huge current account surplus and record exports.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 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
If I borrow £500, then £500 is a debit to my current account, and a credit to my list of liabilities.
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.