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

Addressing Ryan Investment, Conrad said the receiver, its broker and the senior secured creditor all agree that the sale price is reasonable given current market conditions, the order states. —Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2025

Umbrella insurance also isn’t going to protect your assets from claims by most creditors other than those with liability claims. —Bob Carlson, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2025

According to the filing, the start-up has assets worth $126 million and owes over $164 million to its creditors. —Will McCurdy, PCMAG, 19 Jan. 2025

While most banks keep a tiny fraction of deposits in reserve and invest or lend out the bulk to earn a profit, this risks default and potential bankruptcy should creditors withdraw en masse. —By Charlie Campbell/gelephu, Bhutan, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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