debt

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Money that you owe to someone else.

   She finally paid off all her debts last year.

2. 2
   noun

   The state of owing money.

   Our household was badly in debt.

3. 3
   noun

   A feeling of being obligated to someone for their help or kindness.

   I am in your debt for everything you did for me.

From Middle English dette, dett, borrowed from Old French dete (French dette), from Medieval Latin dēbita, from Latin dēbitum (“what is owed, a debt, a duty”), neuter of dēbitus, perfect passive participle of dēbeō (“to owe”), contraction of *dehibeō (“I have from”), from de (“from”) + habeō (“to have”). Doublet of debit. The unpronounced "b" in the modern English spelling is a Latinisation from the Latin etymon dēbitum.

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