DeFi
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of DeFi
First recorded in 2015–20
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.
The word “DeFiant” was a coy wink to this idea of decentralized currency, known as DeFi, the ostensible rationale for the new Trump–Witkoff platform.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
Decentralized finance, known as DeFi, is an umbrella term for financial services offered on public blockchains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
Like traditional banks, DeFi applications allow users to borrow, lend, earn interest, and trade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
This does not reflect traditional consumer borrowing, but rather crypto holders using digital assets as collateral as DeFi credit markets grow in size and activity.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 6, 2026
In recent years, however, there has been a steady migration of crypto activity to DeFi.
From Barron's ● Feb. 5, 2026
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.