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

As a consequence, creditors appointed a majority of directors to the boards of DMFHL and its units while 25% of Del Monte Pacific’s equity in DMFHL was transferred to the lenders. —Ian Sayson, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025

Grubbs' agreement with the trustee left open a door for creditors to pursue payment through other legal means even after the bankruptcy case is closed. —Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 2 July 2025

Brown previously said in court filings that leftover cash would go to paying creditors. —Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

Major creditors: Rechant Holdings Inc. doing business as Rechant Coins & Precious Metals, West Palm Beach, $339,083; Jadan Collectables LLC, Stuart, $235,000; Stephen Yeago & Cianna Yeago, Orlando, $157,400. —Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025

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