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

Trusts can also protect assets from creditors, ensuring that wealth is preserved for future generations. —True Tamplin, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024

The legal maneuver allows creditors, like the Oxford victims, to force a debtor into a proceeding where a trustee is appointed by the government to take find out what assets exist and take control over them to protect creditors like the Oxford victims. —Jeff McDonald, The Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2024

The move is common in the U.K. when a troubled company tries to save its business by renegotiating deals with landlords and other creditors. —Jean E. Palmieri, WWD, 4 Sep. 2024

Coughlin couldn’t repay the high-interest loan and had since filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which is supposed to halt collection efforts from creditors. —Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2024

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