noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of creditor
1400–50; late Middle English creditour < Latin crēditor, equivalent to crēdi- variant stem of crēdere to believe, entrust ( see credit) + -tor -tor
Explanation
If Joe loans you two dollars so you can buy a cup of coffee, Joe is your creditor — you owe him two dollars and a big thank you! If you have a credit card, the bank that issues it to you is your creditor. What they give you is not just a piece of plastic: rather it is a line of credit or a certain amount of money that they have agreed to loan you at fixed terms. Make sure you pay it off every month or you'll become a debtor!
Vocabulary lists containing creditor
Believe It or Not: Cred
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Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - Introductory
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cred
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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 Thames Water Creditor Group have submitted to Ofwat a £17bn plan for the recapitalisation of the water company.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2025
The approval follows Sri Lanka’s agreement with an Official Creditor Committee on debt restructuring, covering about $5.9 billion of outstanding public debt.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2023
De Toledo 81, Beacon Hill 32: Michael Galeck scored 31 points and Max Creditor 23 in a 5AA opener.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2023
Creditor committees formed as part of bankruptcy proceedings will likely seek to shape any reorganisation plan decided by Celsius, three lawyers said.
From Reuters • Jul. 15, 2022
The Debt of Seven Millions, Five Hundred Thousand Pounds, being forgiven the South-Sea Company, and they put in Statu quo by the Government; the Nation will stand Debtor and Creditor as followeth: Viz.
From A Stiptick for a Bleeding Nation A safe and speedy way to restore publick credit, and pay the national debts by Unknown
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.
