debit card

American  

noun

• debit cards
  plural

1. a plastic card that resembles a credit card but functions like a check and through which payments for purchases or services are made electronically to the bank accounts of participating retailing establishments directly from those of card holders.

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debit card British  

noun

1. an embossed plastic card issued by a bank or building society to enable its customers to pay for goods or services by inserting it into a computer-controlled device at the place of sale, which is connected through the telephone network to the bank or building society. It may also function as a cash card, a cheque card, or both

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• debit cards
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of debit card

First recorded in 1975–80

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

debit card

The stolen data did not include Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, financial account information, credit or debit card information or account passwords.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

For those who don’t know, the Direct Express card is a prepaid debit card on which a person’s federal benefit gets loaded each month.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

The pay-as-you-go scheme allows customers to use a tap-in and tap-out process using a contactless debit card or smartphone device without needing to buy tickets in advance for adult single journeys.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

PayPal in its earnings report pointed to growth in peer-to-peer payments platform Venmo and payments processor Braintree, as well as its debit card and buy now, pay later businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

She peered down at him through bifocal glasses and handed him a hard plastic debit card.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

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