debtor
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- nondebtor noun
- predebtor noun
Etymology
Origin of debtor
1250–1300; Middle English detto ( u ) r < Anglo-French dett ( o ) ur, de ( b ) tour, Old French det ( t ) or < Latin dēbitōr-, stem of dēbitor, equivalent to dēbi-, variant stem of dēbēre ( debt ) + -tor -tor
Explanation
A debtor is someone who owes money. If you borrow from a bank to buy a car, you are a debtor. Most of us are debtors at some point in our lives. We borrow money to buy houses or cars, to attend college, or to tide us over when we're between jobs. Businesses and large institutions can also be debtors, and even countries are often debtors. If a developing country borrows money from a wealthier one, the borrower is a debtor. The opposite of a debtor is a creditor.
Vocabulary lists containing debtor
Vocabulary from the Magna Carta on its 800th Anniversary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They will then understand the chit as worthless, which must mean the exclusion of the debtor from the game.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025
“It’s not a routine Chapter 11 case,” a lawyer for lenders that have agreed to provide First Brands with more than $1 billion in emergency debtor financing told the judge.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2025
In April, the IMF had approved a new loan of $20 billion for Argentina, already its biggest debtor.
From Barron's • Oct. 17, 2025
Pakistan has taken more than 20 loans from the IMF since 1958 and is currently its fifth-largest debtor.
From BBC • Sep. 25, 2024
As a former foreign minister now serving as secretary of state, Jefferson required no instruction on the international implications of Americas debtor status.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
