Abbreviation for Debit and Credit
In accounting, the abbreviation for “Debit” is often “Dr,” and the abbreviation for “Credit” is often “Cr.”
These abbreviations are rooted in Latin terminology:
- “Debit” comes from the Latin word “debitum,” meaning “what is due.”
- “Credit” comes from the Latin word “creditum,” meaning “something entrusted to another or a loan.”
These abbreviations are commonly used in accounting ledgers, journals, and other financial documentation to indicate whether an amount is a debit or a credit. For example, you might see accounting journal entries formatted in this way:
- Dr: Cash $1,000
- Cr: Revenue $1,000
This means that the Cash account is debited by $1,000 (increasing the asset account), and the Revenue account is credited by $1,000 (increasing the equity account), indicating a sale was made for $1,000 cash.
