funds

British  

/ fʌndz /

plural noun

1. money that is readily available

2. British government securities representing national debt

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Explanation

The money you have available at a given time are your funds. If you only get paid once a month, you have to budget carefully so you don't run out of funds between paychecks. The word funds comes from the Latin word fundus, which means "bottom," "base," or "a piece of property." It's not clear how the noun funds got from property to available cash, but perhaps the connection came because a person could base his financial security on being able to sell his land if he needed ready money. If your kids are low on funds, they will probably hit you up for an advance on their allowances. The request will probably begin something like, "How much do you love me?" Too bad that doesn't work at your bank!

Example Sentences

Cambria Funds co-founder Meb Faber has long been known for advocating “shareholder yield”—a metric that combines dividends and buybacks into a single number that tracks overall cash returned to shareholders.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

“Event Trust Funds are critical tools that help Texas communities attract events to the state,” Mahaleris said.

From Salon • Apr. 30, 2026

Funds run by Bear Stearns, BNP Paribas and other banks either had to freeze the ability of investors to take out their money, or liquidate the funds completely.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Funds run by those firms get a debt security backed by the hog, and Harley gets to make another loan to the next customer quickly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Funds dribbled in, but social workers no longer came to check on the children; health workers and building inspectors no longer came to inspect the building.

From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech