bankrupt

UK: ˈbæŋkrʌpt | US: ˈbæŋkrʌpt

Definition

  1. adj. unable to pay debts and legally declared insolvent

  2. vt. to reduce to financial ruin

  3. n. a person or entity declared insolvent by law

Structure
bank <bench/money table>rupt <broken>
Etymology

The term originated in 16th-century Italy as banca rotta ("broken bench"), symbolizing a moneylender's destroyed business table after financial failure. The Latin root ruptus emphasizes the irreversible break in solvency. The word evolved into English via French banqueroute, retaining the core imagery of financial collapse.

Examples

  1. The company filed for bankruptcy after years of losses.

  2. Poor investments could bankrupt even wealthy individuals.

  3. He was declared bankrupt by the court last month.

  4. The recession bankrupted many small businesses.

  5. Moral bankruptcy often accompanies financial ruin.