debt

American  

[det] / dɛt /

noun

1. something that is owed or that one is bound to pay to or perform for another.

   a debt of $50.

   Synonyms:

   due, duty, obligation

2. a liability or obligation to pay or render something.

   My debt to her for advice is not to be discharged easily.

3. the condition of being under such an obligation.

   His gambling losses put him deeply in debt.

4. Theology. an offense requiring reparation; a sin; a trespass.

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debt British  

/ dɛt /

noun

1. something that is owed, such as money, goods, or services

2. a debt that has little or no prospect of being paid

3. an obligation to pay or perform something; liability

4. the state of owing something, esp money, or of being under an obligation (esp in the phrases in debt, in ( someone's ) debt )

5. a temporary failure to maintain the necessary supply of something

   sleep debt

   oxygen debt

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debt Cultural  

1. Money, goods, or services owed by an individual, firm, or government to another individual, firm, or government.

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debt Idioms  

1. see head over heels (in debt).

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Other Word Forms

• debtless
  adjective
• superdebt
  noun

Etymology

Origin of debt

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English dette, from Old French, from Latin dēbita (neuter plural, taken in Vulgar Latin as feminine singular), noun use of dēbitus “owed,” past participle of dēbēre “to owe,” contraction of dēhabēre (unrecorded), from dē- de- + habēre “to have”

Explanation

The noun debt refers to an obligation to pay for or do something. If you get arrested for stealing, serving time in jail is the way to repay your debt to society. Debt comes from the Latin word debitum, which means "thing owed." Often, a debt is money that you must repay someone. Debt can also mean the state of owing something — if you borrow twenty dollars from your brother, you are in debt to him until you pay him back. If someone says, "I owe you a debt of gratitude," it means you have done something great and that person intends to do something to "repay" your kindness.

Example Sentences

However, smaller companies still face a tougher fundamental backdrop, including falling earnings estimates, weaker profitability and heavier debt loads, Alex Sagal, investment-strategy analyst at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, wrote in a Wednesday note.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

Fertitta Entertainment will pay Caesars shareholders $31 a share and assume about $11.9 billion of the casino company’s outstanding debt.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

Smaller companies carry more debt as well, with average net debt-to-Ebitda ratios near 4.5 times, compared with roughly 1.5 times for large-cap companies, Sagal said.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

European grid operators’ capital expenditures are creating debt risks, compounded by rising interest rates.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

Large numbers of investment-grade companies in different countries and different industries were indeed unlikely to default on their debt at the same time.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• arrears
• bill
• capital
• commitment
• credit
• damage
• deficit
• due
• indebtedness
• liability
• mortgage
• obligation
• price tag
• receipt