central bank

American  

noun

1. a bank, as the Federal Reserve Bank, that holds basic banking reserves, issues currency, and acts as lender of last resort and controller of credit.

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central bank British  

noun

1. a national bank that does business mainly with a government and with other banks: it regulates the volume and cost of credit

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Etymology

Origin of central bank

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Kevin Warsh’s first meeting as chairman of the central bank is scheduled for June 16 and 17.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Export growth likely accelerated, largely driven by strong semiconductor shipments, and price growth likely also picked up further, bolstering the case for the central bank to tighten policy in the coming months.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Bank of Canada Gov. Tiff Macklem is dealing with a family matter and not available Thursday to present the report’s findings, a central bank spokesman said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

In its quarterly report, the central bank said that it expects gross domestic product to expand 1.1% this year, down from its previous forecast of 1.6%.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

The two of them go to the central bank of stairwells and begin the ten-story trip down to the fifth floor.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner