# creditor

/ˈkɹɛdətɝ/ (US) · /kɹˈɛdɪtɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/creditor
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a person or entity owed money

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

a person, bank, or company that you owe money to.

For teachers: a person or business entity to whom a debt is owed for goods, services, or loans provided.

- The company had to sell its office furniture to pay back its creditors.
- The primary creditor filed a petition for bankruptcy when the firm failed to meet its scheduled interest payments for three consecutive months.

Usage: Often used in the plural when referring to the group of entities a failing business owes money to.

## Examples

- The company owes a lot of money to its main creditor.
- After the business failed, the owner met with every creditor to discuss a repayment plan.
- The court-appointed liquidator must ensure that all remaining assets are distributed fairly among the secured creditors before any funds reach the shareholders.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.