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
Cite this Entry
“Ledger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ledger. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.
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