debtor

noun

debt·​or ˈde-tər 

1

: one guilty of neglect or violation of duty

2

: one who owes a debt

Examples of debtor in a Sentence

The debtor agrees to pay the debt over a three-year period.

Recent Examples on the Web

After the case was converted from Chapter 11, a Chapter 7 Trustee was appointed for Addington's debtor estate. —Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Net transfer balance The net amount a club is owed from, or owes to, other clubs in respect of outstanding transfer fee payments. See also: ‘Transfer creditors/payables’ and ‘Transfer debtors/receivables’. —Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025

This omnibus pledge can have the effect of rendering the debtor insolvent such that any transfer that the debtor tries to make for asset protection purposes is voidable by a creditor. —Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

Chronic debtors across Russia have been the focus of a concentrated campaign from the Federal Bailiff Service. —Neil MacFarquhar, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for debtor

• better
• bettor
• fetter
• getter
• letter
• netter
• petar
• petter
• rhetor
• setter
• sweater
• tetter

Kids Definition

debtor

noun

debt·​or ˈdet-ər 

1

: sinner

2

: one that owes a debt

Legal Definition

debtor

noun

debt·​or

: a person who owes a debt see also bankrupt compare creditor, obligee, obligor

Note: The Bankruptcy Act of 1978 calls the person concerned in a bankruptcy case the “debtor” as opposed to the “bankrupt.”