account
UK[əˈkaʊnt]US[əˈkaʊnt]
n
A record or statement of financial expenditure and receipts relating to a particular period or purpose.
n
A report or description of an event or experience.
n
An arrangement with a bank to keep money and allow withdrawals and deposits; a service contract.
n
Importance or value.
v
To consider or regard in a specified way.
v
To give a satisfactory record or explanation of money or property one is responsible for.
Morpheme Breakdown
ac
count
ac
to, towards
count
to count, calculate
Etymology
The word 'account' entered English in the 13th century from Old French acont, meaning "counting, reckoning, calculation". Its ultimate origin is the Latin verb computare, composed of com- (with, together) and putare (to reckon, consider). The literal sense of "to count together" evolved into the financial and narrative senses. The prefix ad- (as ac-) intensified the meaning, leading to the core idea of a detailed reckoning or narrative. Over time, this concrete meaning of financial calculation broadened to include any explanatory report ('an account of events') and the concept of estimation ('of no account').
Analysis
Structure: ac (to, towards) + count (to count, calculate)
- ac: A prefix from Latin ad- meaning "to, towards, near". It assimilates to ac- before c.
- count: A root from Old French conter, compter, from Latin computare meaning "to sum up, count, calculate".
Examples
Please check your bank account statement online.
She gave a vivid account of her travels in the documentary.
He is held to account for the project's failure.