expense account

American  

noun

1. an account of business expenditures, as travel, hotel room, meals, and entertainment connected with work, for which an employee will be reimbursed by an employer.

---

expense account British  

noun

1. an arrangement by which expenses incurred in the course of a person's work are refunded by his employer or deducted from his income for tax purposes

2. a record of such expenses

3. informal (modifier) paid for by an employer or by money allowable against tax

   an expense-account lunch

---

expense account Cultural  

1. An account or list of expenses incurred in doing business outside the office, part of which is a tax deduction. The term often applies to lunches or dinners at which business deals are made and clients entertained.

---

Etymology

Origin of expense account

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

And, of course, it has also inspired envy among those of us at The Times who cover culture and probably can’t justify a $3,250 Zoom on the ol’ expense account.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 14, 2023

In the late 1980s I was shown the financial summary of a CEO's expense account.

From Salon • Nov. 3, 2022

They have something else going for them: a lower price that experts say is more easily submitted on an expense account.

From Washington Post • Oct. 31, 2022

Having any Daring to Be done subtracted by your expense account is one thing.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 24, 2022

This was the boon of having a summer associate to advise: It was an excuse to eat out and eat well, and to do it on the firm’s expense account.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama