expense-account
UK[ɪkˈspɛns əˌkaʊnt]US[ɪkˈspɛns əˌkaʊnt]
n
An arrangement with an employer that allows an employee to spend money on things relating to their job, such as travel or meals with clients, and have the cost paid back by the employer.
n
A record of such money spent.
Morpheme Breakdown
expense
account
expense
cost
account
record
Etymology
The term 'expense-account' is a modern compound noun, formed by combining two established English words of Latin origin. 'Expense' derives from the Latin expendere, meaning 'to weigh out or pay', reflecting the ancient practice of weighing precious metals for payment. 'Account' originates from the Latin computare, meaning 'to sum up or reckon', a concept central to financial record-keeping since antiquity. The compound emerged in the early 20th-century business world to specifically denote a financial record or arrangement for reimbursable business costs. Its logic is transparently literal: an 'account' (record) specifically for tracking 'expenses' (costs incurred), formalizing the practice of business-related expenditure.
Analysis
Structure: expense (cost) + account (record)
- expense: From Latin expensa (things paid out, cost), via Old French. In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning 'cost' or 'outlay'.
- account: From Old French acont, from Latin computare (to count, calculate). In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning 'a record or statement of financial transactions'.
Examples
He took the client to an expensive restaurant and put the meal on his expense-account.
The company has strict policies governing what can be claimed through an expense-account.
She had to submit her receipts to justify her expense-account.