borrowing

American

[bor-oh-ing, bawr-] / ˈbɒr oʊ ɪŋ, ˈbɔr- /

noun

the act of one who borrows.
the process by which something, as a word or custom, is adopted or absorbed.
the result of such a process; something borrowed, as a foreign word or phrase or a custom.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

borrowings

plural

Etymology

Origin of borrowing

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at borrow, -ing ¹

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.

Borrowing costs for customers coming off those deals are likely to rise sharply.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

Borrowing language from an earlier case, Justice William Douglas argued that giving “untrammeled discretion” to the judge or jury to make sentencing decisions in capital cases was “offensive to … the Constitution.”

From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026

Borrowing fuels capital expenditures that support sales growth, starting the cycle over again.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Borrowing has gained popularity with the ultrawealthy, who often have much of their assets tied up in investments like private-equity holdings or shares in the companies they founded.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

Borrowing from a friend seemed like the simplest option, but I valued my handful of friends too much to risk losing them over money.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023