funds
Britishplural noun
-
money that is readily available
-
British government securities representing national debt
Explanation
The money you have available at a given time are your funds. If you only get paid once a month, you have to budget carefully so you don't run out of funds between paychecks. The word funds comes from the Latin word fundus, which means "bottom," "base," or "a piece of property." It's not clear how the noun funds got from property to available cash, but perhaps the connection came because a person could base his financial security on being able to sell his land if he needed ready money. If your kids are low on funds, they will probably hit you up for an advance on their allowances. The request will probably begin something like, "How much do you love me?" Too bad that doesn't work at your bank!
Vocabulary lists containing funds
Figurative Language in King's "I Have a Dream" Speech (1963)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Figurative Language in King's "I Have a Dream" Speech (1963), List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Supreme Court healthcare ruling
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
If the program’s funds are exhausted, recipients could see their benefits cut by more than 20%.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
Traders who piled into triple-leveraged exchange-traded funds or indexes linked to chips enjoyed magnified gains during the AI-driven rally earlier this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
It held pensions and some other public funds and, after its collapse earlier this week, millions could not access their accounts.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Prosecutors said Nuño sought to obtain the funds through the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, both of which were created under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
In Brooksville, short on funds, the Warden steered the Blue Bird Inn into a trailer park and declared this to be their new address.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
