Here are some of the main differences between British and American financial terminology.
British | American |
Annual General Meeting (AGM) | Annual Stockholders Meeting |
Articles of Association | Bylaws |
authorised share capital | authorized capital stock |
barometer stock | bellwether stock |
base rate | prime rate |
bonus or capitalisation issue | stock dividend or stock split |
bridging loan | bridge loan |
building society | savings and loan association |
cheque | check |
company | corporation |
creditors | accounts payable |
current account | checking account |
debtors | accounts receivable |
gilt-edged stock (gilts) | Treasury bonds |
labour | labor |
Memorandum of Association | Certificate of Incorporation |
merchant bank | investment bank |
ordinary share | common stock |
overheads | overhead |
profit and loss account | income statement |
property | real estate |
quoted company | listed company |
retail price index (RPI) | consumer price index (CPI) |
share | stock |
share premium | paid-in surplus |
shareholder | stockholder |
shareholders' equity | stockholders' equity |
stock | inventory |
trade union | labor union |
unit trusts | mutual funds |
visible trade | merchandise trade |
Money
A.T.M. | abbr. Automated Teller Machine; cash dispenserUK | |
banknote | n: a piece of paper money; billUS | |
billUS | n. a banknote; a piece of paper money | |
black market | n. illegal traffic in officially controlled commodities such as foreign currency | |
bureau de change | n. establishment where currencies of different countries may be exchanged | |
cash | n. 1 coins or bank notes (not cheques); 2 actual money paid (not credit) | |
cash dispenserUK | n: automatic machine from which clients of a bank may withdraw money; ATM | |
cashier | n. person dealing with cash transactions in a bank, store etc | |
coin | n: a piece of metal money | |
currency | n. the money in general use or circulation in any country | |
debt | n. money etc owed by one person to another | |
exchange rate | n. the rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another | |
foreign exchange | n: the currency of other countries | |
hard currency | n. currency that will probably not fall in value and is readily accepted | |
invest | v. to put money for profit into business, land etc - investment n. | |
legal tender | n: currency that cannot legally be refused in payment of a debt | |
petty cashUK | n. a cash fund for small, everyday expenses | |
soft currency | n. currency that will probably fall in value and is not readily accepted | |
speculate | v. (risky) buying of foreign currency, land etc for rapid gain - speculation n. | |
transaction | n. a (usually commercial) exchange; a deal - to transact v. |
Law
attorney | n. 1 a person appointed to act for or represent another 2US lawyer | |
barristerUK | n. a lawyer who pleads before a superior court | |
brief | n. 1UK instructions to a barrister - alsov. 2US written statement of facts | |
case | n. statement of the facts in a trial, esp. the argument of one side | |
contract | n. a formal agreement, usually in writing, between two or more parties | |
court of law | n. the place where law cases are hear and decided; court - courtroom n. | |
evidence | n. information presented to a court to prove or support a point in question | |
guilty | adj. responsible for wrong; culpable - guilt n. not guilty adj. | |
judge | n. official with authority to hear and decide cases in a court of law - alsov. | |
jury | n. a group of people chosen to hear the evidence of a case and give a decision | |
lawsuit | n. a trial at court between two private parties | |
lawyer | n. a person trained in law and who advises or represents others | |
plead | v. 1 to defend a law case 2 to declare oneself to be guilty or not guilty - plea n. | |
sentence | n. 1 decision of a court, esp. as to the punishment 2 the punishment - alsov. | |
solicitor | n. 1UK lawyer advising clients & briefing barristers 2US law officer for a city etc | |
sue | v. to start legal action against someone in a court of law - lawsuit n. | |
sum up | v. to summarise & review the evidence of a case - summing up n. | |
trial | n. a formal examination of a case in a court of law - to try v. | |
verdict | n. the formal decision or finding of a judge or jury | |
without prejudice | without detriment or damage to a legal right or claim |