loan

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An act or instance of lending, an act or instance of granting something for temporary use.
  2. A sum of money or other property that a natural or legal person borrows from another with the condition that it be returned or repaid over time or at a later date (sometimes with interest).
  3. The contract and array of legal or ethical obligations surrounding a loan.
  4. The permission to borrow any item.
verb
  1. To lend (something) to (someone).
noun
  1. An area of uncultivated ground near a village or farmhouse.

Pronunciation

/ləʊn/ /loʊn/ en-us-loan.ogg

Word forms

loan loans loaning loaned

Etymology

From Middle English lone, lane, from Old Norse lán, from Proto-Germanic *laihną, from Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ- (“to leave (over)”). Cognate with Icelandic lán, Swedish lån, Danish lån, German Lehen (“fief”), Dutch leen (“fief”), West Frisian lien, North Frisian leen (“fief; loan; office”), Scots lane, lain, len, Old English lǣn. More at lend.

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