: a division or portion of a pool or whole
specifically : an issue of bonds derived from a pooling of like obligations (such as securitized mortgage debt) that is differentiated from other issues especially by maturity or rate of return

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Finance and Tranche

In French, tranche means "slice." Cutting deeper into the word's etymology, we find the Old French word trancer, meaning "to cut." Tranche emerged in the English language in the late 19th century to describe financial appropriations. Today, it is often used specifically of an issue of bonds that is differentiated from other issues by such factors as maturity or rate of return. Another use of the French word tranche is in the French phrase une tranche de vie, meaning "a cross section of life." That phrase was coined by the dramatist Jean Jullien (1854-1919), who advocated naturalism in the theater.

Examples of tranche in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But congressional staffers were up until 3 a.m. Thursday preparing the legislation for this new tranche of bills. Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 But within a year the relationship had turned contentious as Trump unleashed a major tranche of tariffs – starting with 25% on $50 billion in Chinese goods – sparking an escalating trade war. Simone McCarthy, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 But that would lead to us raising our first big tranche of money, which was about $26 million from private equity. Jane Thier, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2024 The first tranche of government funding that expires on Jan. 19 pays for agriculture; military construction and veterans affairs; transportation, housing and urban development; and energy and water. USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2024 That first tranche of the hostage release would include at least one of six American citizens being held, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was severely wounded and lost an arm in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel. Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Biden hit the podium and launched into attacks on his Republican counterparts in Congress for failing to approve a new tranche of aid to Ukraine. Noah Rothman, National Review, 8 Mar. 2024 This tranche will bring Finland’s total miliary support for Ukraine to date to 1.8 billion euros ($1.94 billion). Katya Soldak, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 They were retrieved in three tranches between January and August 2022, when the FBI searched the former president's South Florida home. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tranche.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, slice, from Old French, from trenchier, trancher to cut — more at trench

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tranche was in 1893

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Dictionary Entries Near tranche

Cite this Entry

“Tranche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tranche. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Legal Definition

tranche

noun
: a division or portion of a pool or whole: as
a
: an issue of bonds derived from a pooling of like obligations that is differentiated from other issues especially by maturity or rate of return
b
: a bond series issued for sale in a foreign country
Etymology

French, literally, slice, from Old French, from trenchier trancher to cut

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