Ledgers

/ˈlɛdʒərz/ noun

Definition

Books or accounts in which financial transactions are recorded systematically. Principal books of accounts that contain summaries of all business transactions.

Etymology

From Middle English 'legger' meaning a book that lies permanently in a place, from 'liggen' (to lie). Originally referred to large books that remained stationary in counting houses, as opposed to smaller portable account books.

Kelly Says

Ledgers were literally books that 'lay' in one place - too important and valuable to carry around, they were the immovable foundations of medieval commerce. The blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies is essentially a digital ledger, showing how this ancient concept of permanent record-keeping continues to evolve.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.