What does debt mean?
Debt is a noun referring primarily to a sum of money that one person or organization owes to another, usually arising from borrowing. It also extends figuratively to non-financial obligations, as in a debt of gratitude, and can describe the general condition of owing money, as in falling into debt. The word carries largely negative connotations — burden, obligation, and financial strain — though it is neutral in technical contexts such as accounting and economics, where debts are ordinary instruments of finance. It appears frequently in fixed expressions: in debt, out of debt, national debt, debt collector, and deep in debt. Grammatically, it functions both as an uncountable noun describing the state of owing and as a countable noun denoting specific amounts. Derived forms include debtor, indebted, and indebtedness. Its spelling famously includes a silent 'b', added by Renaissance scholars to reflect its Latin origin, making debt a small case study in how English words are reshaped by their history.
nounA sum of money that is owed or due to be paid, typically as a result of borrowing; more broadly, an obligation to give or do something in return for a benefit received.
- A sum of money owed, especially as a result of borrowing.
- An obligation or duty to repay or reciprocate, literal or figurative (e.g. a debt of gratitude).
- The state of owing money.
"She worked two jobs to pay off her student debt."
"The company collapsed under a mountain of unpaid debt."
"I owe him a great debt of gratitude for his kindness during my illness."
Used when referring to multiple individual sums owed rather than the general state of indebtedness.
"After his business failed, he spent years settling his debts."
The 'b' in 'debt' was never pronounced — it was inserted in the 16th century to make the word look more like its Latin ancestor 'debitum'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of debt
Debt comes from Old French 'dete', which derives from Latin 'debitum' meaning 'something owed', the neuter past participle of 'debere' (to owe). In the 16th century, English writers restored a silent 'b' to the spelling to mirror the Latin root, giving the modern form. Cognates include debit, debtor, due, and duty — all tracing back to the same Latin verb of obligation.
Related word forms
How debt is actually used
Debt is uncountable when referring to the general state of owing money ('to fall into debt') and countable when referring to individual sums ('a debt of £5,000'). The figurative sense ('a debt of gratitude') is common and slightly formal.
Easily confused with debt
A debit is an entry recording money taken out of an account, whereas a debt is the amount owed itself.