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Synonyms

credit card

American  

noun

  1. a card that identifies a person as entitled to have food, merchandise, services, etc., billed on a charge account.

credit card British  

noun

  1. a card issued by banks, businesses, etc, enabling the holder to obtain goods and services on credit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of credit card

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Major banks reported that consumer and small-business spending continued to increase, with debit and credit card sales volume rising significantly year-over-year in the first quarter.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

Those with elite status on American are still eligible for complimentary bags, and holding the airline’s co-branded credit card also comes with a baggage perk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

"My credit card, my AmEx, is connected to my phone," she explained.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

As for the merchandise emporium, well … that’s where the credit card starts heating up.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

And as it happened, my dad paid for our Ming Palace dinners every Saturday night with a bright blue credit card.

From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.