creditor
UK: ˈkredɪtə | US: ˈkredɪtər
n. a person or institution to whom money is owed
n. (law) a party in a financial transaction who extends credit to another
creditor = credit<to believe/trust> + or<agent noun suffix>
- credit (from Latin credere, "to believe/trust"): Reflects the concept of trust in financial obligations.
- or (agentive suffix from Latin -tor): Indicates a person who performs an action (here, one who extends trust/credit).
Etymology Origin:
The word "creditor" traces back to Latin creditor, derived from credere ("to believe/trust"). The suffix -or marks the actor (e.g., "debtor," "investor"). Historically, the term emphasized the social and legal bond of trust in lending, evolving into its modern financial sense.
The creditor demanded repayment of the loan by the end of the month.
As a creditor, the bank has legal rights to recover the debt.
The company listed its creditors in the annual financial report.
She negotiated with her creditors to reduce the interest rate.
Bankruptcy laws protect both debtors and creditors.