debt

[ det ]

noun

1. something that is owed or that one is bound to pay to or perform for another:

   a debt of $50.

   Synonyms: due, duty, obligation

2. a liability or obligation to pay or render something:

   My debt to her for advice is not to be discharged easily.

3. the condition of being under such an obligation:

   His gambling losses put him deeply in debt.

4. Theology. an offense requiring reparation; a sin; a trespass.

debt

/ dɛt /

noun

1. something that is owed, such as money, goods, or services
2. bad debt
   a debt that has little or no prospect of being paid
3. an obligation to pay or perform something; liability
4. the state of owing something, esp money, or of being under an obligation (esp in the phrases in debt, in ( someone's ) debt )
5. a temporary failure to maintain the necessary supply of something

   sleep debt

   oxygen debt

debt

1. Money, goods , or services owed by an individual, firm, or government to another individual, firm, or government.

Derived Forms

• ˈdebtless, adjective

Other Words From

• debtless adjective
• super·debt noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of debt¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English dette, from Old French, from Latin dēbita (neuter plural, taken in Vulgar Latin as feminine singular), noun use of dēbitus “owed,” past participle of dēbēre “to owe,” contraction of dēhabēre (unrecorded), from dē- de- + habēre “to have”

Word History and Origins

Origin of debt¹

C13: from Old French dette, from Latin dēbitum, from dēbēre to owe, from de- + habēre to have; English spelling influenced by the Latin etymon

Idioms and Phrases

see head over heels (in debt) .

Example Sentences

Extending the bill would add an estimated $4 trillion to the national debt over the next ten years, the Congressional Budget Office estimated.

From Salon

Blackstone is said to be near a deal to buy Jersey Mike’s Subs, the privately owned sandwich chain, for about $8 billion, including debt.

From New York Times

“Paying down high-interest debt should be your priority because it reduces financial vulnerability,” she said.

From Salon

"I didn’t have any money to do a weekly shop. I was trying to pay too many debts," she said.

From BBC

Trump has made his dislike for student debt relief clear, saying it’s unfair to borrowers and taxpayers who pay their debts in full.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arrears
• bill
• capital
• commitment
• credit
• damage
• deficit
• due
• indebtedness
• liability
• mortgage
• obligation
• price tag
• receipt