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• budget
  budget

  noun

  an estimate, often itemized, of expected income and expense for a given period in the future.
• Budget
  Budget

  noun

  an estimate of British government expenditures and revenues and the financial plans for the ensuing fiscal year presented annually to the House of Commons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer

budget

American  

[buhj-it] / ˈbʌdʒ ɪt /

noun

• budgets
  plural

1. an estimate, often itemized, of expected income and expense for a given period in the future.

2. a plan of operations based on such an estimate.

3. an itemized allotment of funds, time, etc., for a given period.

4. the total sum of money set aside or needed for a purpose.

   the construction budget.

5. a limited stock or supply of something.

   his budget of goodwill.

6. Obsolete. a small bag; pouch.

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adjective

1. reasonably or cheaply priced.

   budget dresses.

verb (used with object)

• budgets,
  present (3rd person singular)
• budgeted,
  past participle,  past
• budgeting
  present participle

1. to plan allotment of (funds, time, etc.).

2. to deal with (specific funds) in a budget.

verb (used without object)

• budgets,
  present (3rd person singular)
• budgeted,
  past participle,  past
• budgeting
  present participle

1. to subsist on or live within a budget.

budget ¹ British  

/ ˈbʌdʒɪt /

noun

1. an itemized summary of expected income and expenditure of a country, company, etc, over a specified period, usually a financial year

2. an estimate of income and a plan for domestic expenditure of an individual or a family, often over a short period, such as a month or a week

3. a restriction on expenditure (esp in the phrase on a budget )

4. (modifier) economical; inexpensive

   budget meals for a family

5. the total amount of money allocated for a specific purpose during a specified period

6. archaic a stock, quantity, or supply

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verb

1. (tr) to enter or provide for in a budget

2. to plan the expenditure of (money, time, etc)

3. (intr) to make a budget

Budget ² British  

/ ˈbʌdʒɪt /

noun

1. an estimate of British government expenditures and revenues and the financial plans for the ensuing fiscal year presented annually to the House of Commons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• budgeter
  noun
• prebudget
  noun
• rebudget
  verb (used with object)
• budgetary
  adjective
• nonbudgetary
  adjective
• prebudgetary
  adjective
• pro-budgeting
  adjective
• unbudgeted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• budgets
  plural

Participles

• budgeting
  present
• budgeted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• budget
  simple
• budgets
  simple
• have budgeted
  perfect
• has budgeted
  perfect
• am budgeting
  progressive
• are budgeting
  progressive
• is budgeting
  progressive
• have been budgeting
  perfect progressive
• has been budgeting
  perfect progressive

Past

• budgeted
  simple
• had budgeted
  perfect
• was budgeting
  progressive
• were budgeting
  progressive
• had been budgeting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will budget
  simple
• will have budgeted
  perfect
• will be budgeting
  progressive
• will have been budgeting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of budget

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English bowgett, from Middle French, bougette, from bouge “bag” (from Latin bulga; see bulge) + -ette -ette )

Explanation

A budget is a sum of money set aside and divided up to cover particular expenses. Like allotting certain amounts for food, rent, movies, and manicures every month to make sure you don't run out of cash. From the Middle French bougette, the noun budget translated to “leather pouch” when it was first used in the early 15th century. Perhaps a leather pouch to hold gold coins? It wasn’t until 1733 that the word took on the more specific financial meaning it has nowadays. You can budget all sorts of things, including time, money, and energy. Every year, Congress tries to balance the federal budget — but that's no easy task.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

budget Budget budgets budgeted budgeting

The rail network has an operating budget of more than $350 million and includes an average daily weekday ridership of more than 23,000 and an average weekend ridership of roughly 235,000.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

On Thursday, the French government outlined a budget proposal for 43 billion euros in cuts and cost savings, but the move failed to reassure investors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Cath Crowther, the regional director for the CLA, said many other farmers found themselves in a similar position and called for more government funding to be announced in October's budget.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

On Thursday, as the violence intensified, it dropped a proposal in its 2027 budget to introduce fees for some students entering post-high-school preparatory courses, one of the measures that had fueled anger among protesters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

There wasn’t much of a budget, so Luma relied on donations, which didn’t always work out.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John

John Healey's first Budget this month will likely create "breathing space" for households and businesses by focusing on the cost of living, the Financial Times reports.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Benefits will be cut by 26% starting in 2032, according to the Congressional Budget Office, which is a nonpartisan federal agency that provides Congress with independent analysis of budgetary and economic issues.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

Budget: Winston said boosting enrollment to increase state funding is the “most direct” way to increase revenue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

France’s Budget Act for 2027 is scheduled to be presented on Thursday, with a public deficit target of 5.0% of gross domestic product.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

The Budget Lodging clerk, who seems to have some familiarity with the housing nightmares of low-wage workers, suggests I keep trying motels.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

New-car sticker shock and modern cars with longer lifespans—in addition to tightening household budgets and high interest rates—are leading Americans to hold on to their rides.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

Skills managing schedules, budgets and a team of people are appealing, she said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

He said he had also spotted customers habits changing, including more using cash as a way to "control their budgets".

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

And they do not offer schedules and budgets for the work that must be done to prepare dozens of Olympic venues for competition.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

President Snow takes a seat at the large desk of polished wood where Prim does her homework and my mother her budgets.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

But manager Diana Logan‑Watts said diesel prices had "rocketed so quickly" that the extra costs were "not something that we had budgeted into account".

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

Current estimates indicate that the second correction and orbital insertion should both require less fuel than originally budgeted.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

They have budgeted $25,000 a month for 365 days.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

It’s budgeted, capped, and it doesn’t touch retirement contributions or emergency savings.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

Speaker Day featured two speakers—usually small-time celebrities or small-time politicians or small-time academics, the kind of people who would come and speak at a school for the measly three hundred bucks the school budgeted.

From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

Adam Auriemma on budgeting, renting versus buying, investments, financial advisors, and more!

From Slate ● Oct. 3, 2026

She added that, despite "budgeting proactively" and "being as careful as you can with savings and credit cards", rising bills mean people's financial situations are out of their control.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

A long-term infrastructure plan administered with two-year budgeting “sets clear priorities, identifies the projects that need to get done, and plans how to fund them over time,” proponents said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Congress established CBO in 1974 to advise its budgeting, and it plays a useful role in tracking monthly spending figures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

Dorothy updated her classes with a unit called Wartime Mathematics, teaching students to apply arithmetic operations to household budgeting and wartime ration books and updating classic word problems with airplanes instead of cars.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• account
• allocation
• cost
• total