debtor
Americannoun
-
debtors
plural
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
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Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - Introductory
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Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - High School
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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.
See Examples For:
“Older debtors are the fastest-growing demographic of debtors,” said Eleni Schirmer, an organizer with the Debt Collective debtor activist organization, who is writing a book on the rise of aging borrowers.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
The IMF boss was visiting top debtor Argentina to meet with Milei, for whom the Washington-based institution has repeatedly voiced support since he took office.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 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
“It’s not a routine Chapter 11 case,” a lawyer for lenders that have agreed to provide First Brands with more than $1 billion in emergency debtor financing told the judge.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 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
“The debtors were ultimately unable to bring the key parties to a fully consensual arrangement that would have supported a financially viable LIV 2.0 league,” Williams said during the hearing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
Two new bills in Congress seek to protect older adults from having their Social Security benefits garnished to repay outstanding student loans, in moves meant to provide some relief for the fastest-growing population of debtors.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
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
At one point I filed for bankruptcy, but that doesn’t mean you’re broke — you’re just closing a company down and letting the debtors go after that.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026
Magic lions are sent to kill delinquent debtors, and snakes the size of tractors can lie in wait for you in your fields.
From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
