financing

American  

[fi-nan-sing, fahy-nan-] / fɪˈnæn sɪŋ, ˈfaɪ næn- /

noun

1. the act of obtaining or furnishing money or capital for a purchase or enterprise.

2. the funds so obtained.

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Etymology

Origin of financing

First recorded in 1820–30; finance (verb) + -ing ¹

Explanation

Financing is the process of finding money for something you want. If you don't have enough money to buy the hot new video-game, you could try telling your parents that you need help financing your leisure activities. Notice the similarity between finance and finish? The root of both words is fin, which is Latin for "end," or "limit." Originally, financing meant ending a debt. If you owed money, you might ask a bank to finance you. Eventually people began asking banks for money even when they didn't owe anything. Now the word can be used to talk about getting money for almost any project, from a video-game purchase to a war.

Example Sentences

Medium-sized firms often don’t have the cash reserves and access to credit of larger corporations and lack the nimbleness of smaller firms, leaving them more exposed to shifts in demand and financing.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

The biopharmaceutical company’s guidance includes $11.5 billion in acquired in-process R&D charges and acquisition financing costs.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

In the last three months, Paramount lined up banks and other institutional investors to provide bridge financing to help pull off the transaction, the company said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

Gilead Sciences expects a 2026 adjusted loss of $1.05 to 65 cents a share, driven by R&D costs and acquisition financing.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

At my mother’s insistence, she, too, began school; the burden of financing both our educations rested entirely on my mother, even though my father tried to help from time to time.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Related Words

• expenditure
• funding
• loan
• outlay
• payment