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Federal Reserve Bank

Federal Reserve Bank

12 3.5
A US regional bank in the central bank system that holds money for local banks
  • noun
  • /ˈfɛdərəl rɪˈzɜrv bæŋk/
  • US
translation icon : Banco de la Reserva Federal
  • The power to control the money supply is in the hands of the Federal Reserve Bank.
  • Federal Reserve Bank of New York
  • Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
  • Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

It doesn't depend on the Fed, the Federal Reserve Bank or the Treasury or Wall Street.

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Examples

  • Every dollar the government loans from the Federal Reserve Bank has to be paid back with interest.

  • Jerry L. Jordan is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

    Academic text (1997)
  • However, it is an interesting fact-- the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States is not actually owned by the government.

  • We got in a cab and went to the Federal Reserve Bank.

  • The majority of US citizens believe the Federal Reserve Banks are United States government institutions.

    Blog text (11)
  • Japan and most other countries have one central bank, and the United States has twelve Federal Reserve Banks.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Furthermore, a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York indicates that student debt rose 12 percent to $1.08 trillion.

    Academic text (2016)
  • Zimmerman, a graduate of Cal State East Bay, joined the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in 1973.

    Blog text (5)
  • Each quarter, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City collects data on farm lending conditions from approximately 200 agricultural bankers.

    Academic text (2018)
  • The Federal Reserve Bank plays a crucial role in regulating the nation's monetary policy.

Synonyms

reserve bank
vsFederal Reserve Bank
  • Specialized
14 4.9

A regional bank that holds commercial banks' money and helps run the country's central bank system

is the specific United States regional bank, one of twelve serving a district

Surface Forms

Morphology

federal + reserve + bank

A B1 learner who knows 'federal' (related to the central government), 'reserve' (stored resource) and 'bank' (financial institution) can infer this refers to a government-level banking institution that holds or manages reserves. However, the specific institutional role — that it is the US central banking system with twelve regional banks and particular functions — is specialized and functions as a proper name, so the full, precise meaning is not entirely predictable without background knowledge.

Etymology

The name Federal Reserve Bank comes from the idea that the federal, or national, government made a reserve, a stored supply of money, and set up regional banks to hold it for local banks. So, each regional Federal Reserve Bank holds money for local banks and helps run the national system, which is why it acts like a 'central bank' for its area.