n.
Pronunciation: ' det
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English dette, debte, from Anglo-French dette something owed, from Vulgar Latin *debita, from Latin, plural of debitum debt, from neuter of debitus, past participle of deb ē re to owe, from de- + hab ē re to have ― more at GIVE
Date: 13th century
1 : SIN , TRESPASS
2 : something owed : OBLIGATION <unable to pay off his debt s >
3 : a state of owing <deeply in debt >
4 : the common-law action for the recovery of money held to be due
– debt · less \ -l ə s \ adjective