bookkeeping

American  

[book-kee-ping] / ˈbʊkˌki pɪŋ /

noun

1. the work or skill of keeping keeping account books or systematic records of money transactions (accounting ).

---

Other Word Forms

• bookkeeper noun

Etymology

Origin of bookkeeping

First recorded in 1680–90; book + keeping

Example Sentences

Automation had been hollowing out middle-skill work since the early 2000s, quietly eliminating the clerical roles, bookkeeping jobs and sales positions that once absorbed India's graduates.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

"Mr Kahn's work for Epstein was precisely the same kind of accounting and bookkeeping work that thousands of professionals provide to clients on a daily basis," Dan Ruzumna told the BBC.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

In accounting, software has automated large portions of bookkeeping and tax preparation without eliminating accountants, who have moved up the value chain toward advisory, forensic and judgment-intensive work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

“Everything has been discussed, every move, every act that I’ve taken toward the NIL, every step — bookkeeping and everything — has been handled and handed over to UCLA.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2025

Keith's widow, Leila, returned to her bookkeeping job at Tec Electric, a local electrical contractor.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel