usurious

American  

[yoo-zhoor-ee-uhs] / yuˈʒʊər i əs /

adjective

1. practicing usury; charging illegal or exorbitant rates of interest for the use of money.

   a usurious moneylender.

2. constituting or characterized by usury.

   usurious rates of interest; a usurious loan.

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Other Word Forms

• nonusurious adjective
• nonusuriously adverb
• nonusuriousness noun
• unusurious adjective
• unusuriously adverb
• unusuriousness noun
• usuriously adverb
• usuriousness noun

Etymology

Origin of usurious

First recorded in 1600–10; usury + -ous

Example Sentences

Maybe it’s little wonder that Congress doesn’t want us borrowing cheaply from our own retirement accounts, when we could be buying at usurious rates from lawmakers’ pals in the banking business.

From MarketWatch

An auto lender that allegedly charged hidden, usurious interest rates got to stay in business last year if it paid a fine and didn’t commit fraud in the future.

From Seattle Times

Some banks that boast of having eliminated overdraft fees, for instance, do so by enrolling their customers in services through which they’ll cover your bills, but charge usurious interest rates for the excess.

From Los Angeles Times

Antisemitism had long traded on the stereotype of the Jew as Shylock, the usurious, heartless banker.

From Salon

Travelers on the east/west road, now partially flooded, were hostages to a private ferry operator who offered lake crossings at usurious prices.

From Seattle Times