usury
English
editEtymology
editFrom Middle English usurie, from Latin ūsūria, from ūsūra (“lending at interest, usury”) from ūsus (“use”), from stem of ūtī (“to use”). Compare usurp and use.
Pronunciation
editNoun
editusury (countable and uncountable, plural usuries)
- (countable) An exorbitant rate of interest, in excess of any legal rates or at least immorally.
- (uncountable) The practice of lending money at such rates.
- (uncountable, archaic or historical) The practice of lending money at interest.
- (uncountable, obsolete) Profit.
- c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene v:
- Then will we march to all thoſe Indian Mines,
My witleſſe brother to the Chriſtians loſt:
And ranſome them with fame and vſurie.
Synonyms
editHyponyms
editRelated terms
editTranslations
editexorbitant rate of interest in excess of any legal rates
|
practice of lending money at illegal or unfair rates
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References
edit- Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “usury”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Middle English
editNoun
editusury
- Alternative form of usurie
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