debtor

American  

[det-er] / ˈdɛt ər /

noun

1. a person who is in debt or under financial obligation to another (opposed to creditor).

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debtor British  

/ ˈdɛtə /

noun

1. a person or commercial enterprise that owes a financial obligation Compare creditor

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nondebtor
  noun
• predebtor
  noun

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.

Related Words

• borrower
• defaulter