national bank
Americannoun
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a bank chartered by the U.S. government and formerly authorized to issue notes that served as money.
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a bank owned and administered by the government, as in some European countries.
noun
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(in the US) a commercial bank incorporated under a Federal charter and legally required to be a member of the Federal Reserve System Compare state bank
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a bank owned and operated by a government
Etymology
Origin of national bank
An Americanism dating back to 1780–90
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.
UBS’s application for a national bank charter began years earlier and isn’t the result of the capital discussions, said Rob Karofsky, the bank’s Americas president.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
The bank says a national bank charter will let it significantly expand its banking services, including taking more deposits.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
SoFi suspended the service in 2023 as a condition of receiving a national bank charter.
From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026
First Minister John Swinney has proposed that 15 June is designated as a national bank holiday.
From BBC • Jan. 5, 2026
His model was England, with its national bank, regulated commerce, and powerful finance ministers.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions 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.
