noun
debt
DEHT
noun
1
Money that one person or organisation owes to another.
"It took her five years to pay off her student debt."
"The company took on debt to fund its expansion."
2
A sense of owing someone something non-financial, such as gratitude or loyalty.
"I owe him a debt of gratitude for helping me find the job."
How to Use Debt
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMoney (or sometimes a favour) that is owed and needs to be repaid.
Common mistake
The "b" is silent — say "det," not "deb-t."
Common pairings
pay off debt
in debt
a debt of gratitude
national debt
Word Forms
debts plural
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It took her five years to pay off her student _____.
Etymology
From Old French dete, from Latin debitum, "what is owed." The silent "b" was added later by scholars imitating the Latin spelling — it was never pronounced in English.