microfinance
noun
mi·cro·fi·nance
ˌmī-krō-ˈfī-ˌnan(t)s 
-fə-ˈnan(t)s,
-fī-ˈnan(t)s
: financial services especially in the form of microloans provided to impoverished individuals and groups in poor and developing regions
Muhammad Yunus starts lending money to the rural poor in Bangladesh. His Grameen Bank kicks off a worldwide movement in microfinance as lenders start to see poor people, especially women, not as bad credit risks but as profitable customers.—
Barbara Kiviat
Barbara Kiviat
Examples of microfinance in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Indian microfinance industry, which serves 70 million borrowers across India.
—Anu Raghunathan, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
Third, through the IFC, the World Bank has extended financing to the private sector, especially to small and medium-sized businesses and microfinance institutions.
—Robert B. Zoellick, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2012
Robert Christen, for example, also directs an international institute in microfinance.
—Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2022
Social identity was a key part of what made both crypto and microfinance work.
—Antara Haldar, WIRED, 21 Dec. 2022
Great research is being done by professors on both sides of the house—not only in the social sciences, but within the management and policy programs, in fields like microfinance, national security, nonprofit management, and public finance.
—Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2022
Women have a higher share in gold loans and microfinance Up to 42% of India’s gold loans are availed by women, another report by credit bureau CRIF High Mark showed.
—Mimansa Verma, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2023
While volunteering at the Yerevan offices of San Francisco microfinance firm Kiva, Ohanian reconnected with his father’s roots and learned more about his paternal homeland.
—Michael Del Castillo, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2023
While substantially less than the predatory terms demanded by many non-bank lenders in Central America, microfinance loans can still be high— a typical 40% or so.
—Anne Field, Forbes, 30 Aug. 2021
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Anu Raghunathan, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
Third, through the IFC, the World Bank has extended financing to the private sector, especially to small and medium-sized businesses and microfinance institutions.
—Robert B. Zoellick, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2012
Robert Christen, for example, also directs an international institute in microfinance.
—Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2022
Social identity was a key part of what made both crypto and microfinance work.
—Antara Haldar, WIRED, 21 Dec. 2022
Great research is being done by professors on both sides of the house—not only in the social sciences, but within the management and policy programs, in fields like microfinance, national security, nonprofit management, and public finance.
—Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2022
Women have a higher share in gold loans and microfinance Up to 42% of India’s gold loans are availed by women, another report by credit bureau CRIF High Mark showed.
—Mimansa Verma, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2023
While volunteering at the Yerevan offices of San Francisco microfinance firm Kiva, Ohanian reconnected with his father’s roots and learned more about his paternal homeland.
—Michael Del Castillo, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2023
While substantially less than the predatory terms demanded by many non-bank lenders in Central America, microfinance loans can still be high— a typical 40% or so.
—Anne Field, Forbes, 30 Aug. 2021
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'microfinance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1994, in the meaning defined above
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Dictionary Entries Near microfinance
Cite this Entry
“Microfinance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microfinance. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.
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