reimbursement
C1Formal, Neutral
Definition
Meaning
The act of paying back money to someone who has spent it for a particular purpose, such as for work-related expenses.
Compensation for a loss or expense, restoring someone to the financial position they were in before the expenditure.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a formal or official process of repayment, often against receipts or claims. The focus is on restoring funds, not on profit or reward.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used identically in both varieties. The spelling remains the same, unlike 'reimburse/reimbursing' which may see '-ise/-ize' variation in British English.
Connotations
Neutral, administrative, procedural.
Frequency
Equally common in both UK and US professional and official contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
reimbursement for [expenses/travel/costs]reimbursement of [costs/expenses/fees]apply for reimbursementeligible for reimbursementVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Out of pocket (until reimbursement)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Standard term for company policies on repaying employee expenses like travel, meals, or supplies.
Academic
Used in economics, management, and public policy studies discussing cost allocation and insurance.
Everyday
Used when discussing being paid back for shared group expenses or medical costs by insurance.
Technical
A key term in healthcare (insurance reimbursements), corporate finance, and public administration.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The company will reimburse all legitimate travel expenses.
- Please keep receipts to be reimbursed.
American English
- The company will reimburse you for mileage.
- He was reimbursed for the conference fees.
adverb
British English
- Costs were reimbursably incurred, so the claim was approved. (Rare/Formal)
American English
- (No common adverb form in use. Typically paraphrased.)
adjective
British English
- Submit the form through the reimbursable expenses portal.
- These are not reimbursable costs under our policy.
American English
- Make sure the expense is reimbursable before you pay.
- Only reimbursable items will be paid.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I got reimbursement for the train ticket.
- You need to fill out a form to get reimbursement for your expenses.
- The reimbursement process can take up to two weeks after you submit all the receipts.
- The new policy stipulates that reimbursement for international travel requires prior approval from a department head.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RE- (again) + IMBURSE (related to 'purse', money bag) + MENT (the act). It's the act of putting money back into your purse.
Conceptual Metaphor
FINANCIAL RESTORATION / BALANCING THE BOOKS.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'возврат' in all contexts, as this is too broad (can mean return of an item).
- Avoid using 'компенсация' if it implies damages for suffering; reimbursement is purely financial repayment for spent money.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'reimbursement' (missing the 'e' after 'b').
- Using with incorrect prepositions: 'reimbursement of my costs' (correct), not 'reimbursement on my costs'.
- Confusing with 'compensation' which can include payment for loss/damage, not just expenses.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely context for the word 'reimbursement'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A refund is typically money back for a returned product or a cancelled service. Reimbursement is paying someone back for money they have spent on behalf of themselves or others, often in an official or work context.
Primarily yes, it concerns monetary repayment. However, the concept can be extended metaphorically (e.g., 'reimbursement in kind'), but this is rare.
Yes, 'get reimbursement' or 'receive reimbursement' are both common. 'Get a reimbursement' is also used informally, treating it as a countable instance (e.g., 'I got a reimbursement for £50').
A receipt or invoice is almost always required as proof of expenditure for an official reimbursement.
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