ledger
LEH-jer
/ˈlɛdʒər/
A book or other collection of financial accounts or administrative records.
Traditionally a heavy, leather-bound physical book, but now frequently used metaphorically for digital databases (like blockchain).
The story behind the word. The word ledger comes from the Middle English liggen, meaning 'to lie.' It originally referred to a large book that was too heavy to carry and was designed to 'lie' permanently in one place, such as on a desk in a church or merchant's office.
Word relationships
- account book: An account book is a general term, while a ledger implies a primary, authoritative record of accounts.
- register: A register is a list of events or names, whereas a ledger is primarily focused on financial transactions or structured balances.
Commonly confused with
- journal: In accounting, transactions are first recorded chronologically in a journal, then posted systematically to the ledger.
Collocations
- general ledger
- subsidiary ledger
- double-entry ledger
- digital ledger
Example sentences
- "The accountant carefully entered the daily sales figures into the general ledger." Accounting
- "Blockchain technology operates as a decentralized, immutable ledger of transactions." Technology
Memory hook
A ledger is a book that ledger-ly (leisurely) lies on the desk all day. Ledger = lies on the desk.
When not to use
Do not use for a simple notebook or a diary; it must contain structured accounts, transactions, or official logs.
Fun facts
- The concept of double-entry bookkeeping, which relies on a balanced ledger, was first documented in 1494 by Luca Pacioli, a close friend and collaborator of Leonardo da Vinci.
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.