usury definition | Dictionary.com

u⋅su⋅ry

[yoo-zhuh-ree]

–noun, plural -ries.

1.	the lending or practice of lending money at an exorbitant interest.

2.	an exorbitant amount or rate of interest, esp. in excess of the legal rate.

3.	Obsolete. interest paid for the use of money.

Origin:
1275–1325; ME usurie < ML ūsūria (cf. L ūsūra), equiv. to L ūs(us) (see use ) + -ūr(a) -ure + -ia -y ³

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

Link To usury

u·su·ry (yōō'zhə-rē)

n. pl. u·su·ries

The practice of lending money and charging the borrower interest, especially at an exorbitant or illegally high rate.
An excessive or illegally high rate of interest charged on borrowed money.
Archaic Interest charged or paid on a loan.

[Middle English, from Medieval Latin ūsūria, alteration of Latin ūsūra, from ūsus, use; see usual.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Usury

U"su*ry\, n. [OE. usurie, usure, F. usure, L. usura use, usury, interest, fr. uti, p. p. usus, to use. See Use, v. t.]

1. A premium or increase paid, or stipulated to be paid, for a loan, as of money; interest. [Obs. or Archaic]

Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent upon usury. --Deut. xxiii. 19.

Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchanges, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. --Matt. xxv. 27.

What he borrows from the ancients, he repays with usury of ??is own. --Dryden.

2. The practice of taking interest. [Obs.]

Usury . . . bringeth the treasure of a realm or state into a few ??nds. --Bacon.

3. (Law) Interest in excess of a legal rate charged to a borrower for the use of money.

Note: The practice of requiring in repayment of money lent anything more than the amount lent, was formerly thought to be a great moral wrong, and the greater, the more was taken. Now it is not deemed more wrong to take pay for the use of money than for the use of a house, or a horse, or any other property. But the lingering influence of the former opinion, together with the fact that the nature of money makes it easier for the lender to oppress the borrower, has caused nearly all Christian nations to fix by law the rate of compensation for the use of money. Of late years, however, the opinion that money should be borrowed and repaid, or bought and sold, upon whatever terms the parties should agree to, like any other property, has gained ground everywhere. --Am. Cyc.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source

usury [(yooh-zhuh-ree)]

The practice of charging more than the legal interest rate.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

usury

1303, from M.L. usuria, from L. usura "usury, interest," from usus, from stem of uti (see use). Originally the practice of lending money at interest, later, at excessive rates of interest.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

Usury

The act of lending money at an interest rate higher than that permitted by law.

Investopedia Commentary

This is an illegal practice. Different regions have prescribed interest rates that cannot be exceeded.

See also: Interest Rate, Loan

Main Entry: usu·ry
Pronunciation: 'yü-zh&-rE
Function: noun
Etymology: Medieval Latin usuria interest, lending at exorbitant interest, alteration of Latin usura use, interest (i.e., sum paid for use of money), from usus use
1 : the lending of money at exorbitant interest rates; specifically : the crime of charging or contracting to charge an unlawfully high rate of interest
2 : a rate or amount of interest charged in usury —compare legal interest at INTEREST 5

Usury

the sum paid for the use of money, hence interest; not, as in the modern sense, exorbitant interest. The Jews were forbidden to exact usury (Lev. 25:36, 37), only, however, in their dealings with each other (Deut. 23:19, 20). The violation of this law was viewed as a great crime (Ps. 15:5; Prov. 28:8; Jer. 15:10). After the Return, and later, this law was much neglected (Neh. 5:7, 10).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Cite This Source

Search another word or see usury on Thesaurus | Reference

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Advertise with Us · Link to Us · NASCAR® · Contact Us