ledger

noun

led·​ger ˈle-jər 

plural ledgers

1

a

: a book containing accounts to which debits and credits are posted from books of original entry

Psmith, perched gracefully on a stool, entered figures in a ledger.

—P. G. Wodehouse

b

: a digital record that is used similarly to an accounting ledger (as for maintaining a list of transactions)

Williams said he also recovered a ledger spreadsheet on a laptop computer seized from Wright and a "key" to translate the ledger.

—Scott Dolan

specifically : blockchain

NFTs use blockchain, the technology ledger backing cryptocurrencies …, which are databases of linked information to record ownership or transactions of a product.

—Weston Blasi

The original idea behind Provenance was to provide transparency, proof of loan performance, provenance—reliable information about who owned or owns an asset at any given time—lower costs and easier audits for loan buyers and sellers through distributed ledger technology.

—Penny Crosman

2

: a horizontal board used for vertical support (as in scaffolding)

I'd rather see joists resting on a ledger, spiked to the girders or to the house through spacers.

—Jim Locke

Examples of ledger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

By acting as a single, tamper-proof ledger where transactions are recorded instantly and transparently, blockchain can streamline operations, especially in data-heavy areas like supply chains and audits. —Frederik Gregaard, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025

But on the musical side of the ledger, women totally ruled, with so many star performances that some of Broadway’s biggest names were inevitably going to be snubbed. —Scott Heller, New York Times, 1 May 2025

Meanwhile, Ozuna continues as one of the chart’s top performers, adding a 35th No. 1 to his ledger. —Pamela Bustios, Billboard, 15 Apr. 2025

Most crypto purchases are recorded on a public ledger called the blockchain, with the buyers and sellers largely anonymized. —Eric Lipton, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lygger, leger large breviary, beam, probably from leyen, leggen to lay

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing ledger

• ledger line

Rhymes for ledger

• dredger
• edger
• hedger

Kids Definition

ledger

noun

led·​ger ˈlej-ər 

: a book in which accounts are kept in final form