cheque
Britishnoun
-
a bill of exchange drawn on a bank by the holder of a current account; payable into a bank account, if crossed, or on demand, if uncrossed
-
the total sum of money received for contract work or a crop
-
wages
Etymology
Origin of cheque
C18: from check , in the sense: a means of verification
Explanation
A cheque is a written order directing a bank to pay out money, and it's exactly the same thing as a check, but with more exciting letters. The American English word for the slip of paper that authorizes your bank to make a payment is check, which is the adjusted spelling of the British English cheque. That word comes from exchequer which is like a bank, and so a cheque is a note that has the seal of the bank: an official piece of paper. Cheque can be used as a verb meaning "withdraw."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We were told it's not real debt, or it's just the price of a coffee, or you won't even notice it leaving your pay cheque," she said.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
He bid and won the house, giving a cheque of £90,000 for the deposit.
From BBC • Nov. 23, 2025
The star was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his third album People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.
From BBC • Nov. 10, 2025
"I had a cheque from them for about £400. I don't think that happens in many households these days," he said.
From BBC • Nov. 5, 2025
Should the charge be less than this amount, you can return balance; if greater, we shall at once send cheque for difference on hearing from you.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
