bookkeeping
English meaning: Bookkeeping
Definition
The activity of recording the money that a business spends and receives in an organized way.
Example
“Careful bookkeeping helped the small shop know exactly where its money went each month.”
Another example: “Good bookkeeping makes filing your tax return much easier.”
Usage — When, Where & How
A neutral noun, uncountable, for the routine recording of financial transactions. Narrower than 'accounting'. Common in small-business and clerical contexts.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
A compound of 'book' and 'keeping', referring to keeping account books; noted as one of few English words with three consecutive double letters.
Synonyms
- accounting
- record-keeping
Related Words
- accounting
- ledger
- records
- accountant
- invoice
Common Collocations
- do the bookkeeping
- basic bookkeeping
- bookkeeping software
- accurate bookkeeping
- bookkeeping records
Word Forms
bookkeeping (n); bookkeeper (n)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B