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Definition of usury
usuries
1 archaic : interest
2 : the lending of money with an interest charge for its use; especially : the lending of money at exorbitant interest rates
3 : an unconscionable or exorbitant rate or amount of interest; specifically : interest in excess of a legal rate charged to a borrower for the use of money
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Recent Examples of usury from the Web
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Payday lending companies at times incorporate their businesses on tribal lands because tribes are generally immune from state regulations and lawsuits, and there’s no federal law on usury on the books.
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The CFPB lawsuit accuses the companies of collecting on loans that violated state usury and lender licensing laws; an $800 loan carried a contract that would require the consumer to repay $3,320 over 10 months.
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Most states have usury laws, which cap the rate of interest that can be charged.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'usury'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of usury
Middle English usurie, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin usuria, alteration of Latin usura, from usus, past participle of uti to use
Other Economics Terms
USURY Defined for English Language Learners
usury
playDefinition of usury for English Language Learners
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: the practice of lending money and requiring the borrower to pay a high amount of interest
Law Dictionary
usury
playLegal Definition of usury
1 : the lending of money at exorbitant interest rates; specifically : the crime of charging or contracting to charge an unlawfully high rate of interest
2 : a rate or amount of interest charged in usury — compare legal interest at interest 5
Origin and Etymology of usury
Medieval Latin usuria interest, lending at exorbitant interest, alteration of Latin usura use, interest (i.e., sum paid for use of money), from usus use
Learn More about usury
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about usury
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