Synonyms

debit card

American

noun

a plastic card that resembles a credit card but functions like a check and through which payments for purchases or services are made electronically to the bank accounts of participating retailing establishments directly from those of card holders.

debit card British

noun

an embossed plastic card issued by a bank or building society to enable its customers to pay for goods or services by inserting it into a computer-controlled device at the place of sale, which is connected through the telephone network to the bank or building society. It may also function as a cash card, a cheque card, or both

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of debit card

First recorded in 1975–80

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.

Frequent flyers who hold a United Airlines co-branded credit or debit card can soon earn up to twice as many miles as noncardholders, effectively rewarding the airline’s biggest spenders.

From MarketWatch

All three of us have personal debit cards.

From Literature

Though it offers credit and debit cards, and interest-bearing accounts, Step is technically not a bank, but rather a financial services platform backed by Evolve Bank & Trust.

From Barron's

On NFL game days, total credit and debit card spending rises by around 77% in the zip codes where stadiums are located, wrote the analyst, and the biggest increases are in food and drinks.

From Barron's

One standout was Affirm’s branded debit card, which continued to gain traction in the quarter.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023