exchequer

C1 Topic:Politics & International Affairs

US /ɛksˈtʃɛkɚ/ UK /ɪksˈtʃɛkə/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the national treasury or financial department of a government

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new fiscal policies.
2

noun
the funds or revenues of a government or organization

The project was funded by the university's exchequer.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the national treasury or... treasurycofferspurse funds reserves

2 noun · the funds or revenues of a... fundscoffersreserves revenues resources

Simplified etymology

Exchequer came into English from Old French eschequier, based on medieval Latin scaccus, “check,” and around 1300 meant “a chessboard.” Its financial sense developed from the Norman English department that handled royal revenues, where accounts were kept by placing counters on a chequered tablecloth called the Exchequer.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin scaccarium ("chessboard, counting table"), so named for the checkered cloth used for reckoning accounts, via Old French escheker and Middle English escheker; Modern English Exchequer, "government treasury."

Topics

Politics & International Affairs Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# exchequer

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɛksˈtʃɛkɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪksˈtʃɛkə/

## Meanings
1. the national treasury or financial department of a government
2. the funds or revenues of a government or organization

## Examples
- The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new fiscal policies.
- The project was funded by the university's exchequer.

## Synonyms
- treasury
- coffers
- purse
- funds
- reserves
- revenues
- resources

## Etymology
From Medieval Latin scaccarium ("chessboard, counting table"), so named for the checkered cloth used for reckoning accounts, via Old French escheker and Middle English escheker; Modern English Exchequer, "government treasury."

## AI Etymology
Exchequer comes from Medieval Latin scaccarium ("chessboard, counting table"), so named for the checkered cloth used for reckoning accounts, via Old French escheker and Middle English escheker; Modern English Exchequer, "government treasury.". In current use it is a noun meaning "the national treasury or financial department of a government". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

## Topics
- Politics & International Affairs
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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