Cardholder Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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cardholder
[ˈkɑːrdˌhoʊldər ]
Definition
financial product
A cardholder is an individual who possesses a credit or debit card. This person has the right to use the card for transactions, subject to the card issuer's terms and conditions. Cardholders are often required to provide personal information when applying for such financial products.
Synonyms
card owner, creditor, debit card user.
Examples of usage
- As a cardholder, you must keep your PIN secure.
- The bank notified the cardholder of a fraudulent transaction.
- Each cardholder receives benefits tailored to their spending habits.
Translations
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Origin of 'cardholder'
The term 'cardholder' emerged in the mid-20th century along with the widespread adoption of credit cards as a financial tool. Initially, credit cards were issued by individual retailers, but over time, banks and dedicated financial institutions began issuing them more broadly, thus creating a need for terminology to describe individuals who possessed these cards. The word combines 'card', which is derived from the Latin 'charta', meaning a sheet of paper or a playing card, and 'holder', from the Old English 'halder', meaning one who holds or has possession of something. As various types of payment cards developed, including debit cards, membership cards, and others, the term 'cardholder' became universally understood to refer to anyone who has a financial card issued for their use.