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

See Examples For:

central bank

But the central bank can benefit from the dollar’s strength as a byproduct of monetary tightening.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

Two weeks ago, the picture pointed toward the central bank extending its hold on interest rates, currently between 3.5% and 3.75%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

He previously told Congress that the central bank had "no tolerance to persistently elevated inflation" and that he was committed to "restoring price stability".

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

Uncertainty has been fuelled by new boss Kevin Warsh's refusal to publicly share his views on the economic outlook, part of his proposed reforms to reduce the amount of forward guidance the central bank offers.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

And they recommended that the NIH establish a reference collection of cells: a central bank where all cultures would be tested, cataloged, and stored under maximum security, using state-of-the-art sterile techniques.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot