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

For purchases that don’t qualify, like concert tickets, your niece should use a separate credit card or debit card tied to a bank account.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026

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

Nine in 10 users of mobile wallets have their debit card loaded as their default payment method on their phone, with the remainder having registered their credit card.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

“Sorry, sorry,” she said as she fumbled to get her debit card from her wallet.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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