repo man

[ ree-poh man ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a person employed to repossess or take back high-priced merchandise, such as motor vehicles or machinery, from buyers who have failed to pay:

   The specter of the repo man haunts many Americans who have fallen behind in their car payments.

   I haven't paid my bills in months, my credit cards are maxed out, and the repo man is threatening to come around.

Word History and Origins

Origin of repo man¹

First recorded in 1960–65; repo ²( def )