interest

¹in·ter·est

noun
\ˈin-t(ə-)rəst; ˈin-tə-ˌrest, -ˌtrest; ˈin-tərst\

Definition of INTEREST

1

a (1) : right, title, or legal share in something (2) : participation in advantage and responsibility b : business, company

2

a : a charge for borrowed money generally a percentage of the amount borrowed b : the profit in goods or money that is made on invested capital c : an excess above what is due or expected <returned the insults with interest>

3

: advantage, benefit; also : self-interest

4

: special interest

5

a : a feeling that accompanies or causes special attention to an object or class of objects : concern b : something that arouses such attention c : a quality in a thing arousing interest

Examples of INTEREST

1. She told us about her lifelong interest in music.
2. The kids listened to the speaker for a little while, but then lost interest.
3. The speaker wasn't able to hold their interest.
4. She took an active interest in the political debate.
5. He expressed an interest in learning more about photography.
6. The stories about his personal life add interest to the book.
7. I thought this article might be of interest to you.
8. We visited many places of interest on our vacation.
9. The price of the ticket was a matter of interest to everyone.
10. Music is one of her many interests.

Origin of INTEREST

Middle English, probably alteration of earlier interesse, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin, from Latin, to be between, make a difference, concern, from inter- + esse to be — more at is

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to INTEREST

Synonyms: claim, share, stake

Antonyms: ill-being

Related Words: co-ownership, ownership, part, partnership, possession, title

Near Antonyms: unhealthiness, unsoundness; misery, sadness, suffering, unhappiness, wretchedness

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Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

Rhymes with INTEREST

abreast, abscessed, appressed, armrest, arrest, at best, at rest, attest, backrest, beau geste, bed rest, behest, bequest, blood test, congest, conquest, contest, crow's nest, depressed, detest, devest, digest, distressed, divest, egest, eighth rest, field-test, flight-test, footrest, gabfest, half rest, hard-pressed, headrest, high-test, hillcrest, hope chest, houseguest, imprest, incest, infest, ingest, inquest, invest, Key West, lovefest, love nest, Mae West, mare's nest, Midwest, molest, northwest, patch test, posttest, pretest, professed, protest, redbreast, repressed, request, revest, road test, scratch test, screen test, sea chest, skin test, slop chest, slugfest, southwest, spot test, steam chest, stress test, suggest, Trieste, t-test, unblessed, undressed, unrest, unstressed, war chest, whole rest, Wild West