checking account

American  

noun

checking accounts plural

1. a bank deposit against which checks can be drawn by the depositor.

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checking account British  

noun

1. the US name for current account

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• checking accounts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of checking account

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

Example Sentences

The strategy works because the money moves into a Roth IRA structure, not a checking account, but the control ultimately shifts to the beneficiary.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

Of the Fed’s major liabilities, two mostly are beyond its control: the deposits that the Treasury Department keeps in its checking account at the Fed, and physical cash.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

To make your money work harder, avoid letting this reserve sit in a standard checking account earning 0.01% interest.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

For Jessica Simon, the first signs that hers was in trouble showed up in the checking account she shared with her husband.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

He opens up a checking account, writes his new name into course books.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Related Words

• deposit
• savings account