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expenditure

ik-SPEN-di-cher /ɪkˈspɛndɪtʃər/

nounB2SAT

neutralformal

The action of spending or using money; an amount of money spent.

Can refer to the act of spending (e.g., 'careful expenditure') or the actual amount spent (e.g., 'monthly expenditures'). It's a neutral term, unlike 'extravagance' or 'squander.'

The story behind the word. The word 'expenditure' traces its roots back to the Latin verb 'expendere,' which meant 'to weigh out' or 'to pay out.' It's formed from 'ex-' (meaning 'out') and 'pendere' (meaning 'to weigh'). In ancient times, money was often weighed, not counted, so 'to weigh out' money was synonymous with 'to pay it out.' This gives us the clear sense of money being sent 'out' for a purpose.

Word relationships

spending: A more general and common term for using money.
outlay: An amount of money spent on something, especially a large amount at the beginning of a project.
disbursement: The act of paying out money from a fund, or the payment itself.

income: Money received, especially on a regular basis, for work or through investments.
revenue: Income, especially when of a company or organization and of a substantial nature.

Commonly confused with

expense: 'Expense' often refers to a particular cost incurred, while 'expenditure' can refer to the act of spending or the total amount spent over a period.

Word family

expend (verb): To spend or use up (resources such as money or energy).

Collocations

capital expenditure
government expenditure
household expenditure
reduce expenditure

Example sentences

"The company's annual expenditure on research and development increased by 15% this year." In a financial report.
"Careful tracking of daily expenditures is crucial for maintaining a budget." Discussing personal finance.

Memory hook

To make an 'EXPENDITURE', you 'EX-PEND' (send out) money. Send out money

When not to use

While 'expenditure' is broad, for very small, informal amounts, 'spending' might be more natural. It's generally used for more significant or tracked amounts.

Fun facts

The root 'pendere' also gives us words like 'pendulum' (something that hangs and swings) and 'pension' (a regular payment, originally a 'weighed out' sum).