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debtor

noun
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debt·​or | \ ˈde-tər How to pronounce debtor (audio) \

Definition of debtor

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 This is an alternative under state law that lets an insolvent debtor liquidate. — Kathleen Pender, SFChronicle.com, "Use it or lose it: Gift cards could become worthless if the issuer goes bankrupt," 2 Jan. 2021 In theory, a debtor and creditor enter into a contract on a level playing field and with fair terms; in reality, debts are often incurred under conditions of duress. — Astra Taylor, The New Yorker, "How the Biden Administration Can Free Americans from Student Debt," 23 Nov. 2020 First, has the debtor made a good-faith effort to repay the loans? — Ron Lieber, New York Times, "For Millions Deep in Student Loan Debt, Bankruptcy Is No Easy Fix," 7 Nov. 2020 Participants will be able to learn about their rights as a debtor, to dispute their debts and to connect with other people facing similar situations. — Staff Report, NOLA.com, "Health fair, virtual support groups, and more health news," 7 Oct. 2020 Even before the economy cratered this spring, reliance on Parent Plus loans was trapping a slice of middle-aged and older Americans in a debtor’s purgatory. — NBC News, "Parent Plus loans are burying families in college debt," 17 Nov. 2020 And, finally, is the debtor’s situation likely to persist? — Ron Lieber, New York Times, "For Millions Deep in Student Loan Debt, Bankruptcy Is No Easy Fix," 7 Nov. 2020 In addition, Chinese non-official lenders have also granted holidays to struggling debtor nations in line with the terms of the Group of 20 leading economies’ Debt Service Suspension Initiative, the ministry said. — Bloomberg.com, "China Says It Granted More Debt Relief, Backs G-20 Coordination," 30 Oct. 2020 Participants will be able to learn about their rights as a debtor, to dispute their debts and to connect with other people facing similar situations. — Staff Report, NOLA.com, "Health fair, virtual support groups, and more health news," 7 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'debtor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of debtor

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Time Traveler for debtor

Time Traveler

The first known use of debtor was in the 13th century

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Statistics for debtor

Last Updated

15 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Debtor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debtor. Accessed 26 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for debtor

debtor

noun
How to pronounce debtor (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of debtor

: a person, organization, government, etc., that owes money

See the full definition for debtor in the English Language Learners Dictionary

debtor

noun
debt·​or | \ ˈde-tər How to pronounce debtor (audio) \

Kids Definition of debtor

: a person who owes a debt

debtor

noun
debt·​or

Legal Definition of debtor

: 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.”

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More from Merriam-Webster on debtor

Nglish: Translation of debtor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of debtor for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about debtor

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