debenture

American  

[dih-ben-cher] / dɪˈbɛn tʃər /

noun

1. certificate of indebtedness.

2. a certificate of drawback issued at a custom house.

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debenture British  

/ dɪˈbɛntʃə /

noun

1. Also called: debenture bond.  a long-term bond, bearing fixed interest and usually unsecured, issued by a company or governmental agency

2. a certificate acknowledging the debt of a stated sum of money to a specified person

3. a customs certificate providing for a refund of excise or import duty

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Other Word Forms

• debentured adjective

Etymology

Origin of debenture

1425–75; late Middle English debentur < Latin dēbentur ( mihi ) there are owing (to me), 3rd person plural passive indicative of dēbēre to owe ( debt )

Example Sentences

The brokerage cuts its 2025-2027 net-interest-margin assumptions for Muangthai Capital by 28-39 bps to reflect higher-than-expected funding cost from the company’s USD-denominated debenture issuance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

These were the kind of guys who knew what a debenture was yet had a feel for programming and knew enough to hire good people and leave them alone.

From New York Times • Nov. 22, 2021

The male voice choir member will treat himself to a debenture ticket at the Principality Stadium, where he has sung on the pitch several times.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2017

Excluding, a one-time non-cash debenture charge and restructuring charges, the company reported a profit of 1 cent a share.

From Reuters • Dec. 19, 2014

Debenture stock created by trading companies differs in various particulars from debenture stock created by public companies governed by the Companies Clauses Act.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 10 "David, St" to "Demidov" by Various