adjusting entry

7.5

An entry made at the end of a period to record income or costs for that period

noun
/əˈdʒʌstɪŋ ˈɛntri/

Specialized

: asiento de ajuste

At the end of the fiscal year, the accountant prepared an adjusting entry to record accrued expenses.

Examples

Each adjusting entry ensures the financial statements reflect accurate values for the period.
An adjusting entry is necessary for accurate financial statements.
An adjusting entry is necessary to align the reported income with actual business activity.
The accountant made an adjusting entry last week.
At the end of the fiscal year, the accountant prepared an adjusting entry to record accrued expenses.
Each adjusting entry ensures the financial statements reflect accurate values for the period.
An adjusting entry is necessary to align the reported income with actual business activity.

Synonyms

adjustment

vsadjusting entry

Specialized

40 3.7

An amount added or taken away from a total for special reasons

is a formal accounting record made at period end to allocate income or expenses

How Specific

adjusting entry

Specialized

7.5

ledger entry

Specialized

5.2

accounting entry

Specialized

1 3.2

journal

27 3.6

transaction

Texting

27 4.8

Surface Forms

adjusting entry singular

adjusting entries plural

Morphology

adjust + entry

The phrase is compositional: 'adjusting' (making an adjustment) modifies 'entry' (a recorded item), so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a record made to correct or allocate amounts. This follows a common noun-modifier pattern found across languages, so the meaning is transparently derivable though full accounting details may require domain knowledge.

Etymology

The noun adjusting entry comes from the idea of adjusting a written line, the entry, in the account book at the end of a month or year. Accountants change that line so money or costs are put in the 'correct period', so the term means a small change made to make the accounts accurate.