noun

ledger

/ˈlɛdʒər/ · say it: LEJ·er

the book or file of all financial transactions

In Banking & Finance

In more detail

1. (noun) a book or computer record in which a company or organization writes down all the money it receives and spends

2. (noun) a flat stone or slab, especially one that covers a grave

Examples

1. The accountant checks the ledger every month to make sure all transactions are recorded correctly.
2. An old ledger hung above the tomb of the medieval knight.

How to use ledger

Ledger is primarily an accounting term referring to the formal record where all financial transactions are summarized by account. In modern business, ledgers are typically digital rather than physical books. The second meaning (a stone slab covering a grave) is much less common in contemporary usage and is largely archaic or regional.

Common phrases

general ledger
accounts ledger
keep a ledger
ledger entry
ledger account

Synonyms

account book · record book · register · journal · accounts

Word family

ledger (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse ledger with ledge (a narrow horizontal surface projecting from a wall or cliff); they are distinct words despite superficial similarity.

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