IOU

or I.O.U.

1. a written acknowledgment of a debt, especially an informal one consisting only of the letters IOU, the sum owed, and the debtor's signature.

IOU

noun

1. a written promise or reminder to pay a debt

IOU

1. Abbreviation for “I owe you.” An IOU is a written statement of a borrower's obligation to pay a debt .

Word History and Origins

Origin of IOU¹

First recorded in 1610–20; representing I owe you

Word History and Origins

Origin of IOU¹

C17: representing I owe you

Example Sentences

Last December, the firm agreed to sell its claim in the FTX bankruptcy — essentially an i.o.u. from the collapsed exchange — for 6 cents on the dollar, betting that it was better to collect some fast cash than wait years for the husk of FTX to start paying creditors back.

From New York Times

Last December, the firm agreed to sell its claim in the FTX bankruptcy — essentially an i.o.u. from the collapsed exchange — for 6 cents on the dollar, betting that it was better to collect some fast cash than wait years for the husk of FTX to start paying creditors back.

From New York Times

Richard Pandiscio, art director, 1985-1990: They gave me a lot of I.O.U.’s, which was cute.

From New York Times

Richard Pandiscio, art director, 1985-1990: They gave me a lot of I.O.U.’s, which was cute.

From New York Times

Then there were my friends who were saying, “Yeah I’ll loan you money on an I.O.U., but I don’t have that much money.”

From New York Times