clearinghouse

noun

clear·​ing·​house ˈklir-iŋ-ˌhau̇s 

1

: an establishment maintained by banks for settling mutual claims and accounts

2

: a central agency for the collection, classification, and distribution especially of information

broadly : an informal channel for distributing information or assistance

Examples of clearinghouse in a Sentence

an online clearinghouse for information on museums around the world

Recent Examples on the Web

The new special protective services unit would fall under the State Patrol and act as a clearinghouse for security for the Legislature, from coordinating the personnel to assessing threats. —Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026

Newspapers in the era before the internet and Wikipedia served as clearinghouses for information, efficiently sharing expertise with the general population. —Lawrence Glickman, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026

Hyperliquid does this without any traditional centralised intermediaries, exchange operators, or clearinghouses and on a 24/7 basis without market closures. —Bob Diamond, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026

As the nation’s largest domestic-violence coalition, the FCADV served as the sole clearinghouse for about $52 million annually in state and federal funds that flowed to Florida agencies that provided shelter, support and care for victims of domestic violence. —Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1792, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for clearinghouse

• boardinghouse
• charterhouse
• coffeehouse
• customhouse
• firehouse
• meetinghouse
• motherhouse
• packinghouse
• pilothouse
• powerhouse
• slaughterhouse
• summerhouse

Kids Definition

clearinghouse

noun

clear·​ing·​house -ˌhau̇s 

1

: an institution run by banks for the exchanging of checks and claims

2

: a central agency for collecting and giving out information

Legal Definition

clearinghouse

noun

clear·​ing·​house ˈklir-iŋ-ˌhau̇s 

: an institution that arranges for payment of checks owed by one bank to another