usury
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English
Etymology
From 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
Noun
usury (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: 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
Hyponyms
Related terms
Translations
exorbitant rate of interest in excess of any legal rates
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practice of lending money at illegal or unfair rates
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References
- Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “usury”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Middle English
Noun
usury
- Alternative form of usurie