consumer credit

American

noun

credit extended by a retail store, bank, finance company, or other lender, chiefly for the purchase of consumer goods.

Etymology

Origin of consumer credit

First recorded in 1925–30

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.

Economic data during the week include the BRC shop price index for April on Tuesday, followed by mortgage lending and consumer credit data for March and the final reading of April manufacturing PMI on Friday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Data on consumer credit and mortgage lending for January are released on Monday, as well as the latest Nationwide house price index for February.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Banks have tightened consumer credit standards for three years.

From Barron's • Nov. 11, 2025

Slowing growth, market volatility and uncertainty among employers could potentially lead to worsening consumer credit performance, he said.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 11, 2025

Stage One was to apply a formula that had been dreamed up to cope with corporate credit risk to consumer credit risk.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023