debit

1 of 2

verb

deb·​it ˈde-bət How to pronounce debit (audio)
debited; debiting; debits

transitive verb

: to enter upon the debit side of an account : charge with a debit

debit

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a record of an indebtedness
specifically : an entry on the left-hand side of an account constituting an addition to an expense or asset account or a deduction from a revenue, net worth, or liability account
b
: the sum of the items entered as debits
2
: a charge against a bank deposit account
3

Examples of debit in a Sentence

Verb The bank mistakenly debited my account $200! Your account will automatically be debited for the amount of your insurance bill every month. Noun I forgot to enter some of the debits in my bank account register. The account's credits were added and the debits subtracted. a $30 debit for groceries
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
So Blackhawk was free in the Equifax case to debit a $5.95 monthly fee after only six months. Jeff Kauflin, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025 Ulster Bank Has another IT System Issue In another case of déjà vu, Ulster Bank apologized to its ATM customers for being debited twice on each transaction over a 24-hour period spanning Monday and Tuesday of last week, the Belfast Telegraphreported. IEEE Spectrum, 28 Apr. 2014
Noun
While cash-only businesses are common, there are also those who operate as cashless and only accept debit or credit cards. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2025 Americans with lower incomes are more reliant on cash than wealthier residents, according to a 2022 report from the Pew Research Center, and obtaining a debit or credit card may require identification, proof of address and other requirements that aren’t accessible to everyone. Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for debit

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin debitum debt

First Known Use

Verb

1668, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of debit was in 1668

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Cite this Entry

“Debit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debit. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

debit

1 of 2 verb
deb·​it ˈdeb-ət How to pronounce debit (audio)
: to enter as a debit : charge with or as a debt

debit

2 of 2 noun
: an entry in an account representing an amount paid out or owed

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