/bangk"rupt, -reuhpt/ , n.
1. Law. a person who upon his or her own petition or that of his or her creditors is adjudged insolvent by a court and whose property is administered for and divided among his or her creditors under a bankruptcy law.
2. any insolvent debtor; a person unable to satisfy any just claims made upon him or her.
3. a person who is lacking in a particular thing or quality: a moral bankrupt.
adj.
4. Law. subject to or under legal process because of insolvency; insolvent.
5. at the end of one's resources; lacking (usually fol. by of or in ): bankrupt of compassion; bankrupt in good manners.
6. pertaining to bankrupts or bankruptcy.
v.t.
7. to make bankrupt: His embezzlement bankrupted the company.
[ 1525-35; banca rupta bank broken; r. adaptations of It banca rota and F banqueroute in same sense ]
Syn. 4. destitute, impoverished.