debenture

C2 Topic:Communication

US /dəˈbɛntʃɝ/ UK /dɪˈbɛntjʊə/ See IPA manual

Freq #209792

Meanings

1

noun
a long-term debt instrument issued by a company or government; in US usage it is usually unsecured, while in UK usage it may be secured on assets

The company financed the expansion by issuing ten-year debentures at a fixed rate of interest.
2

noun
historical: a certificate acknowledging money owed or authorizing payment, including repayment of a customs drawback

The customs office issued a debenture for the duty to be repaid when the goods were exported.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a long-term debt instrument... bonddebt securitydebenture bond

2 noun · historical: a certificate... certificate of indebtednesspayment voucherdrawback certificate

Word family

Forms debentures

Derived forms debentured

Related forms debt creditor interest drawback security

Etymology

From earlier debentur, an anglicization of Latin debentur, 'they are owing,' traditionally the opening word of official certificates acknowledging a debt. The ending was reshaped under the influence of nouns in -ure; the corporate-bond sense arose in the nineteenth century.

Topics

Communication Register & Style

External links

# debenture

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /dəˈbɛntʃɝ/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈbɛntjʊə/
**Frequency rank:** 209792

## Meanings
1. a long-term debt instrument issued by a company or government; in US usage it is usually unsecured, while in UK usage it may be secured on assets
2. historical: a certificate acknowledging money owed or authorizing payment, including repayment of a customs drawback

## Examples
- The company financed the expansion by issuing ten-year debentures at a fixed rate of interest.
- The customs office issued a debenture for the duty to be repaid when the goods were exported.

## Synonyms
- bond
- debt security
- debenture bond
- certificate of indebtedness
- payment voucher

## Derived Forms
- debentured

## Related Forms
- debt
- creditor
- interest
- drawback
- security

## Etymology
From earlier debentur, an anglicization of Latin debentur, 'they are owing,' traditionally the opening word of official certificates acknowledging a debt. The ending was reshaped under the influence of nouns in -ure; the corporate-bond sense arose in the nineteenth century.

## Topics
- Communication
- Register & Style

markdown