passbook: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Historical, Business (dated)
Quick answer
What does “passbook” mean?
A small book issued by a bank or building society to record deposits, withdrawals, and interest earned.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small book issued by a bank or building society to record deposits, withdrawals, and interest earned.
A historical document for recording transactions, most commonly for a savings account; in other contexts, can refer to official identification or work record booklets (e.g., colonial-era passbooks).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK usage historically associated with building societies (savings & loans). US usage was primarily for bank savings accounts. The term is equally dated in both varieties.
Connotations
Old-fashioned, tangible record-keeping. In historical contexts, can have negative connotations (e.g., apartheid South Africa's 'passbook' or 'dompas').
Frequency
Extremely low in contemporary use for both. Slightly more likely to be encountered in UK writing about building societies or historical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “passbook” in a Sentence
N (e.g., check your passbook)V + passbook (e.g., update the passbook)passbook + N (e.g., passbook account)Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Largely historical; used when discussing legacy systems or in specific regulated savings products.
Academic
Used in historical, economic, or sociological studies (e.g., 'the role of the passbook in working-class savings').
Everyday
Rare. An older person might refer to it: 'I need to take my passbook to the building society.'
Technical
In banking IT, may refer to a type of account or report format for printing transaction histories.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “passbook”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “passbook”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “passbook”
- Using 'passbook' to refer to a modern bank statement or debit card. Confusing it with 'password book' or 'passport'. Spelling as two words: 'pass book'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A passbook is for recording account history (savings), while a chequebook contains cheques for making payments (current/checking account).
Rarely. They are considered obsolete in most developed countries, replaced by electronic statements, though some credit unions or specific savings accounts may still use them.
You must immediately report the loss to your bank or building society. They will cancel the old book and, if the account type still exists, issue a new one after verifying your identity.
In modern contexts, yes. A 'bank statement' is the digital/paper successor. However, 'passbook' refers specifically to the physical booklet that was updated in-branch.
A small book issued by a bank or building society to record deposits, withdrawals, and interest earned.
Passbook is usually formal, historical, business (dated) in register.
Passbook: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɑːsbʊk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpæsˌbʊk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a PAPER BOOK you must physically PASS to a bank teller to record transactions. PASS + BOOK = PASSBOOK.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A RECORDED HISTORY (tangible, linear, page-by-page).
Practice
Quiz
In which context might the word 'passbook' carry a strongly negative historical connotation?