usury
An exorbitant rate of interest, in excess of any legal rates or at least immorallyAn exorbitant rate of interest, in excess of any legal rates or at least immorally.
» Tom has no compunction about engaging in usury.
Meaning
4 senses(countable)An exorbitant rate of interest, in excess of any legal rates or at least immorally.
Wucher, Wucherzins
проце́нт, лихва́lixvá
відсо́токvidsótok, проце́нтprocént, лихва́lyxvá
an exorbitant or unlawful rate of interest
(uncountable)The practice of lending money at such rates.
Wucherei, Zinswucher, Wuchern
ростовщи́чествоrostovščíčestvo
лихва́рствоlyxvárstvo
the act of lending money at an exorbitant rate of interest
(archaic, historical, uncountable)The practice of lending money at interest.
In medieval Europe, Jews were often linked to usury and therefore persecuted by authorities.
(obsolete, uncountable)Profit.
Examples
4 sentencesTom has no compunction about engaging in usury.
Loan sharks pull all sorts of tricks to skirt usury laws.
The term "usury" was once used to refer to any loan on which interest was charged.
Interest rates are deemed by Islam as usury.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 2
By meaning 2
Origin
From Middle English usurie, from Latin ūsūria, from ūsūra (“lending at interest, usury”) fFrom 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.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: usuriesSynonyms
2 synonymsWord family
7 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable