IOU
or I.O.U.
a written acknowledgment of a debt, especially an informal one consisting only of the letters IOU, the sum owed, and the debtor's signature.
Origin of IOU
First recorded in 1610–20; representing I owe you
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for i.o.u.
IOU
noun
a written promise or reminder to pay a debt
Word Origin for IOU
C17: representing I owe you
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Culture definitions for i.o.u.
IOU
Abbreviation for “I owe you.” An IOU is a written statement of a borrower's obligation to pay a debt.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.