Debit

Balance
The amount representing the difference between the debit and credit sides of an account. It is brought down onto the opposite side of the account to ensure equal totals.
Credit (CR)
A term used in accounting to indicate an entry made on the right-hand side of an account ledger, typically representing a decrease in assets or an increase in liabilities and equity.
Debit
A debit is an entry on the left-hand side of an account in double-entry bookkeeping that increases assets or recorded expenditures of an organization. In the context of a bank account, a debit indicates an outflow of funds.
Debit (DR)
In accounting, a debit (DR) refers to any entry recording an addition to an asset or expense account, or a reduction from a liability or equity account.
Dual Aspect Principle
The Dual Aspect Principle is a fundamental concept in accounting that asserts every financial transaction has two aspects: one that results in a debit entry and another that results in a credit entry.
Opening Balance
The balance brought forward at the beginning of an accounting period. Opening balances may be on the debit or the credit side of a ledger.
Overdraft
An overdraft is a loan provided by a bank or building society for a customer with a cheque account, allowing the account to go into debit, up to a specified limit known as the overdraft limit.
Single-Entry Bookkeeping
A bookkeeping system that records only one aspect of each transaction, either a debit or a credit. Unlike double-entry bookkeeping, it does not balance. Single-entry bookkeeping is simpler and often used by small businesses.
T Account
A visual representation used in accounting to depict individual ledger accounts, reflecting debits and credits in a format resembling the letter 'T'.

Accounting Terms Lexicon

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