banka
A1Neutral/Formal (financial sense); Neutral (geographical sense)
Definition
Meaning
A financial institution that accepts deposits, lends money, and provides other financial services.
The land alongside a river or lake; a slope or mound; a reserve supply or store of something; a group or series of similar objects arranged in a row (e.g., a bank of switches, a blood bank). Also used as a verb meaning to deposit money, to rely on, or to tilt an aircraft.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has two core, distinct meanings (financial institution and river edge) that are historically linked via the concept of a 'bench' or 'ridge'. Context is crucial for disambiguation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor differences in prepositional use (e.g., 'in the bank' vs. 'at the bank' are both common). 'High street bank' is a common UK term for a retail bank.
Connotations
Similar connotations in both varieties for the financial sense. The geographical sense is neutral.
Frequency
Both senses are extremely frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
bank at [institution]bank on [someone/something] (phrasal verb)bank the moneybank left/right (aviation)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “break the bank”
- “laugh all the way to the bank”
- “bank on it”
- “bankroll someone”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Primary meaning is the financial institution. 'We need to secure a bank loan for expansion.'
Academic
Used in economics, geography, and biology (e.g., gene bank, memory bank). 'The study analysed bank lending practices.'
Everyday
Both financial ('I need to go to the bank') and geographical ('Let's picnic on the river bank') uses are common.
Technical
In aviation: to tilt laterally. In computing: a collection of similar hardware components. 'The pilot had to bank sharply.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I need to bank this cheque before the weekend.
- Which high street bank do you use?
- You can bank on him being late.
American English
- I need to deposit this check at the bank.
- Which bank do you bank with?
- Don't bank on getting a raise this year.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. Used in compounds like 'bank-right').
American English
- (No standard adverbial form. Used in compounds like 'bank-left').
adjective
British English
- The bank holiday meant crowded trains.
- She received a standard bank transfer.
American English
- The bank statement arrived online.
- He works in bank regulation.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bank is next to the supermarket.
- The children played on the bank of the river.
- I have money in the bank.
- You should open a bank account to receive your salary.
- The west bank of the river is steeper.
- I wouldn't bank on the weather being good for the picnic.
- The central bank is expected to raise interest rates.
- The aircraft began to bank steeply as it entered the turn.
- The project requires a significant bank of technical data.
- The scandal threatened to undermine confidence in the entire banking system.
- The researchers created a comprehensive bank of tissue samples for the study.
- He was the bankroller, providing the essential capital for the venture.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BANK of money sitting on the BANK of a river. The two meanings are like two sides of the same coin.
Conceptual Metaphor
STORAGE = BANK (e.g., memory bank, blood bank, seed bank). RELIANCE = BANKING (e.g., 'I'm banking on you').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'банка' (jar/can). The financial 'bank' is 'банк'. The river 'bank' is 'берег'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'bank' to mean 'jar' (a false friend for Slavic speakers). Incorrect preposition: 'I work on a bank' (should be 'in/at a bank').
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'We can bank on their support,' what does 'bank on' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they share the same etymological root from an Old Norse word for 'bench' or 'ridge', which evolved into the raised ground of a river and the money-changer's bench.
Both are generally acceptable. 'At the bank' often refers to the physical location or building, while 'in the bank' can refer to the institution or money being held there. ('My money is in the bank. I am at the bank.')
It's an idiom meaning to cost too much money, to ruin someone financially, or in gambling, to win all the money the house has available.
Traditionally, building societies were mutual organisations owned by their members (savers and borrowers), while banks were publicly listed companies. The distinction has blurred, but some building societies remain mutual.