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accounting

noun
ac·​count·​ing | \ ə-ˈkau̇n-tiŋ How to pronounce accounting (audio) \

Definition of accounting

1 : the system of recording and summarizing business and financial transactions and analyzing, verifying, and reporting the results also : the principles and procedures of this system studied accounting as a freshman
2a : work done in accounting or by accountants
b : an instance of applied accounting or of the settling or presenting of accounts
3 : account sense 2 They were required to provide a detailed accounting of their actions.

Examples of accounting in a Sentence

what accounting can you give for your bizarre actions on the night in question?
Recent Examples on the Web But the decision marked a partial victory for each side over a subpoena issued in 2019 by the House Oversight Committee to Trump's accounting firm, Mazars USA. — Arkansas Online, 10 July 2022 But the decision marked a partial victory for each side over a subpoena issued in 2019 by the House Oversight Committee to Trump’s accounting firm, Mazars USA. — Spencer S. Hsu, Washington Post, 8 July 2022 But the decision marked a partial victory for each side over a subpoena issued in 2019 by the House Oversight Committee to Trump's accounting firm, Mazars USA. — Spencer S. Hsu, BostonGlobe.com, 8 July 2022 But the decision marked a partial victory for each side over a subpoena issued in 2019 by the House Oversight Committee to Trump’s accounting firm, Mazars USA. — Spencer S. Hsu, Anchorage Daily News, 8 July 2022 But the company’s outside auditors, at the accounting firm BDO, were questioning the setup’s propriety. — Jesse Drucker, New York Times, 7 July 2022 At the moment, U.S. companies often voluntarily ask an engineering or consulting firm to verify their data rather than a traditional accounting firm. — Mark Maurer, WSJ, 5 July 2022 This is not the first cheating scandal for the Big Four accounting firm. — Elisabeth Buchwald, USA TODAY, 28 June 2022 Freitag’s accounting of money due and her initiation of the claims process represent a milestone move in efforts to make victims of San Diego’s biggest Ponzi scheme whole. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'accounting.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of accounting

circa 1676, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

History and Etymology for accounting

Middle English acountynge "reckoning, calculation," from gerund of accounten "to account entry 2"

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Time Traveler for accounting

Time Traveler

The first known use of accounting was circa 1676

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Dictionary Entries Near accounting

account for (something)

accounting

accounting equation

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Statistics for accounting

Last Updated

13 Jul 2022

Cite this Entry

“Accounting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accounting. Accessed 23 Jul. 2022.

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More Definitions for accounting

accounting

noun
ac·​count·​ing | \ ə-ˈkau̇n-tiŋ How to pronounce accounting (audio) \

Kids Definition of accounting

: the work of keeping a person's or a business's financial records

accounting

noun
ac·​count·​ing

Legal Definition of accounting

1 : an often court-ordered presentment or examination of accounts a complete accounting would be necessary to determine the nature of the expenditures — Case & Comment
2 : the settlement by judicial action of the assets of a partnership (as upon dissolution)

More from Merriam-Webster on accounting

Nglish: Translation of accounting for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of accounting for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about accounting

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