2015-07-21
579
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 |
