debtor
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of debtor
1250–1300; Middle English detto ( u ) r < Anglo-French dett ( o ) ur, de ( b ) tour, Old French det ( t ) or < Latin dēbitōr-, stem of dēbitor, equivalent to dēbi-, variant stem of dēbēre ( see debt) + -tor -tor
Explanation
A debtor is someone who owes money. If you borrow from a bank to buy a car, you are a debtor. Most of us are debtors at some point in our lives. We borrow money to buy houses or cars, to attend college, or to tide us over when we're between jobs. Businesses and large institutions can also be debtors, and even countries are often debtors. If a developing country borrows money from a wealthier one, the borrower is a debtor. The opposite of a debtor is a creditor.
Vocabulary lists containing debtor
Vocabulary from the Magna Carta on its 800th Anniversary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
An "unsatisfied" record can include cases where a debtor is paying off what they owe in instalments.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
As Japanese rates rise, debtor nations will feel pressure to offer higher rates to keep Japanese investors buying their bonds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 24, 2026
The state does not notify a person when a lien names them as the debtor, allowing fake filings to remain in California’s public database for years before a victim discovers them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2026
In April, the IMF had approved a new loan of $20 billion for Argentina, already its biggest debtor.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2025
As a former foreign minister now serving as secretary of state, Jefferson required no instruction on the international implications of Americas debtor status.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
So will the new money for many of China’s debtors in the developing world, where it’s the largest creditor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026
Ray Dalio: A weak currency and low interest rates are good for borrowers and debtors and stimulative to markets and economies.
From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026
The McConnell bill also would set new limits on where litigants in patent cases and debtors seeking bankruptcy can file their cases.
From New York Times ● Apr. 10, 2024
But whistleblowers within the enforcement industry, including working bailiffs, revealed some colleagues do break the rules, to ensure they collect and get paid, even if debtors are vulnerable.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2024
Siddhartha became impatient at losses, he lost his patience with slow-paying debtors, he was no longer kindhearted to beggars, he no longer had the desire to give gifts and loans to the poor.
From "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse
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.
