debit memo

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablefinance

   A notice from a bank that it has taken money out of your account for a reason such as a fee or a returned check.

   Grammar: Countable: a debit memo appears on your statement.

   Patterns

   • a debit memo for something

   The bank sent a debit memo for the monthly service fee.

   A debit memo on my statement showed the bounced check charge.

   Check your debit memos carefully for unfamiliar charges.

2. 2nouncountablebusiness

   A document a seller or buyer sends to tell the other side that an amount is owed or that an earlier invoice needs to be increased.

   Grammar: Business usage: issue a debit memo to correct a mistake.

   Patterns

   • issue a debit memo to someone

   We issued a debit memo because the invoice undercharged the customer.

   The supplier received a debit memo for the damaged goods.

   The accountant filed the debit memo with the other invoices.

Word forms

Common combinations

issue a debit memo

The vendor will issue a debit memo for the missing items.

receive a debit memo

We received a debit memo for returned goods.

post a debit memo

The clerk will post the debit memo to the customer's account.

bank debit memo

A bank debit memo listed the overdraft fee.

Synonyms and how they differ

debit note

Debit note is the British equivalent and means the same thing in business documents.

charge

A charge is the amount itself, while a debit memo is the notice or document recording it.

invoice

An invoice asks for payment for goods or services supplied, but a debit memo adjusts an amount already billed or taken.

Opposites

Word family

debit noun

an entry showing money taken out

debit verb

to take money from an account

memo noun

a short written message

credit memo noun

a notice that reduces what someone owes

Commonly confused: debit memo or credit memo?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “debit memo”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words