creditor

[kred-i-ter]

noun

1. a person or firm to whom money is due (debtor ).

2. a person or firm that gives credit in business transactions.

3. Bookkeeping.,  credit.

creditor

/ ˈkrɛdɪtə /

noun

1. a person or commercial enterprise to whom money is owed Compare debtor

creditor

1. One to whom a debt is owed.

Other Word Forms

• creditorship noun
• noncreditor noun
• precreditor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of creditor¹

1400–50; late Middle English creditour < Latin crēditor, equivalent to crēdi- variant stem of crēdere to believe, entrust ( credit ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

A change in control of Citgo would mark the final chapter in a lengthy effort by Venezuela’s foreign creditors to seize the refiner as compensation for asset expropriations and debt defaults.

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“Depending on the type of trust, assets placed in a trust may be shielded from creditors, lawsuits, or divorce settlements,” the law firm adds.

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Now, jitters are growing about loose lending in those markets, set off by the sudden collapse of auto-parts conglomerate First Brands, which borrowed about $11 billion from creditors, and others.

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Inherited IRAs also generally have less protection than employer-based plans and often rely on state law for creditor protection, making them vulnerable if cashed out.

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When the world’s largest creditor nation unwinds four decades of Treasury purchases, markets don’t adjust smoothly.

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Related Words

• bank 
• banker