fund

American  

[fuhnd] / fʌnd /

noun

1. a supply of money or pecuniary resources, as for some purpose.

   a fund for his education;

   a retirement fund.

2. supply; stock.

   a fund of knowledge;

   a fund of jewels.

   Synonyms:

   hoard, mine, fount, reservoir, store

3. funds, money immediately available; pecuniary resources.

   to be momentarily without funds.

4. an organization created to administer or manage a fund, as of money invested or contributed for some special purpose.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to provide a fund to pay the interest or principal of (a debt).

2. to convert (general outstanding debts) into a more or less permanent debt, represented by interest-bearing bonds.

3. to allocate or provide funds for (a program, project, etc.).

fund British  

/ fʌnd /

noun

1. a reserve of money, etc, set aside for a certain purpose

2. a supply or store of something; stock

   it exhausted his fund of wisdom

---

verb

1. to furnish money to in the form of a fund

2. to place or store up in a fund

3. to convert (short-term floating debt) into long-term debt bearing fixed interest and represented by bonds

4. to provide a fund for the redemption of principal or payment of interest of

5. to accumulate a fund for the discharge of (a recurrent liability)

   to fund a pension plan

6. to invest (money) in government securities See also funds

Other Word Forms

• funder noun
• nonfunded adjective
• overfund noun
• prefund verb (used with object)
• underfund verb (used with object)
• underfunded adjective
• underfunding noun

Etymology

Origin of fund

First recorded in 1670–80; from Latin fundus “bottom, estate”; replacing fond ² in most of its senses

Explanation

A fund is a supply of money to be used for a specific purpose. You can start a fund for almost anything, such as your child’s education, a new car, or the establishment of the world’s largest origami collection. Fund can be used as a verb meaning “provide funds for something.” If you’re unable to save up the money to start your origami collection, you might ask a friend to fund it. (We predict she’ll say no.) An organization that raises money for a particular, often charitable, purpose can also be called a fund. We doubt an origami collection warrants its own fund, but there's no harm in trying.

Example Sentences

The London-based Lacalle is a well-known Spanish economist and a fund manager at Tressis Gestion, running almost €1 billion of client money.

From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026

Banks say the so-called interchange fees fund rewards like travel points and cash back that consumers love, as well as services like fraud prevention.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Walter diversified the portfolio into alternatives, which was expanded by his successor, legendary fund manager Jack Meyer, who attracted a number of talented money managers.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

That money makes up nearly 25% of the county’s general fund, flowing into public services such as law enforcement, education, health services, libraries and parks.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

She immediately set up a trust fund for the “perpetual betterment of Riverview Middle School and all struggling public education facilities in the city.”

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• capital
• endowment
• foundation
• stock
• supply
• treasury
• trust