creditor

noun

cred·​i·​tor ˈkre-di-tər 

-ˌtȯr

: one to whom a debt is owed

especially : a person to whom money or goods are due

Examples of creditor in a Sentence

She owes thousands of dollars to creditors.

Recent Examples on the Web

This notice includes details about the amount owed, the creditor and how to dispute the debt. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

Freedom operates in 41 states, 31 directly and 10 through a legal partner network that connects clients with attorneys if a creditor files suit. — Lucy Jones, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Credit counseling can't lower the principal balance, but in some cases agents can negotiate with creditors to lower interest rates or waive certain fees . — Dan Avery, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026

JetBlue released its quarterly earnings on Monday, a day early, in an apparent bid to reassure investors after a report showed that its creditors were looking into how to get the airline to pay its debts. — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for creditor

• editor
• predator
• coeditor

Kids Definition

creditor

noun

cred·​i·​tor ˈkred-ət-ər 

: a person to whom a debt is owed

Legal Definition

creditor

noun

cred·​i·​tor ˈkre-də-tər, -ˌtȯr 

: a person to whom a debt is owed

especially : a person to whom money or goods are due compare debtor, obligor

— general creditor

: a creditor who is not secured by a lien or other security interest

called also unsecured creditor

— judgment creditor

: a creditor who has a money judgment entered against the debtor and may enforce the judgment (as by attachment or writ of execution)

— known creditor

: a creditor whose potential claim is known or should be known by a debtor and who is entitled to notice of a corporate dissolution or of a date at which claims will be barred (as in bankruptcy)

— lien creditor

: a creditor who is secured by a lien (as by attachment)

— secured creditor

: a creditor who has a security interest (as a mortgage)

— unsecured creditor

: general creditor in this entry