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.]

usury [(yooh-zhuh-ree)]

The practice of charging more than the legal interest rate.

usury 

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).