budget
UK[ˈbʌdʒɪt]US[ˈbʌdʒɪt]
n
A plan that shows how much money an organization or person expects to earn and spend
n
The amount of money available for a particular purpose
v
To plan carefully how much money to spend on something
Etymology
The word 'budget' has a fascinating journey from a physical object to an abstract financial concept. It entered English in the 15th century from the Middle French 'bougette', a diminutive of 'bouge', meaning a leather bag or wallet, which itself derived from the Latin 'bulga', a bag or knapsack of Gaulish origin. The crucial semantic shift occurred in the 18th century in British governmental practice, where the Chancellor of the Exchequer would open the "budget" (the bag) containing the financial statements and plans. Thus, the meaning transferred from the container to its contents—the statement of revenues, expenditures, and the financial plan itself. This evolution perfectly illustrates how a concrete, everyday item gave its name to a core principle of modern economics and personal finance.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword. Its core component 'budget' originates from the Old French 'bougette', meaning a small bag or pouch.
Examples
The government's annual budget will be presented to parliament next week.
We need to stick to our household budget to save for a vacation.
She carefully budgets a portion of her salary for charitable donations each month.