checking account

American  

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of checking account

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

Example Sentences

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

The bank closes a checking account and pays the beneficiary per the terms; if there’s one beneficiary, they are paid 100%.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Second, a Warsh Fed would need to neutralize swings in the government’s checking account at the Fed.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

It says those incentives help attract users and give consumers more choices in a world with paltry checking account interest rates.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

I learned a lot—like when you have a checking account, your money is separate from all the other money in the bank.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

• deposit
• savings account