drawee

drawee — noun

1. the person or bank whose name is written on a check, draft, or bill as the one t

1.nounC2
Definition

the person or bank whose name is written on a check, draft, or bill as the one that must make the payment

Example

The restaurant's bank was the drawee on the check from the wedding planner.

drawee on + check

Before mailing the draft, Jude checked that the correct bank was listed as drawee.

list + bank + as drawee

Common collocations
  • drawee bank
  • drawee branch
  • named as drawee
  • present to the drawee
Synonyms
  • payer

    broader everyday word for the party that pays, not only on formal payment papers

  • payor

    legal or financial spelling used in some formal documents

  • paying bank

    used when the drawee is specifically a bank rather than another kind of party

Antonyms
  • payee

    the person or business that receives the money

  • drawer

    the person who writes or issues the check, bill, or draft

Grammar Patterns

the drawee on + check/draft/bill

list/name + [bank or person] + as drawee

present + [document] + to the drawee

Usage Note

This word is mainly used in banking and legal documents rather than everyday speech. It names the party that must pay the document, while the drawer creates the document and the payee receives the money.

Common Mistakes

I wrote my name in the drawee line on the check.
I wrote my name in the drawer line on the check.
The drawee is the payer named on the document; the drawer is the person who issues it.
The payee and the drawee are both my landlord.
My landlord is the payee, and the drawee is my bank.
The payee receives the money, but the drawee is the party that pays it.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words describe different roles in a payment, but they are not interchangeable. A drawee is the party named on a check, bill, or draft that must pay when the document is presented, and this word is mostly used in banking or legal English. Payer is much broader and can mean anyone who pays in any situation, so it fits ordinary speech better. Drawer is the person who writes or issues the document, not the one that pays it at presentation. Payee is the opposite role: the person or business that receives the money. If you are reading a banking form, ask who must pay, who created the paper, and who receives the funds.

drawee ↗payer ↗drawer ↗payee

Common collocations

Nouns

  • drawee bank
  • drawee branch
  • drawee line

Phrases

  • list a bank as drawee
  • present the draft to the drawee

Prepositions

  • drawee on

Etymology

English

Formed in English from the verb 'draw' with the suffix '-ee'. In financial language, the word names the person or institution on whom a bill, draft, or check is drawn for payment.