creditor
person owed money
A creditor is a person, company, or bank that someone owes money to.
[someone/something] is a creditor; creditor of [someone/something]
- The company is negotiating with its creditors to avoid bankruptcy.
- If you miss several payments, your creditor may charge extra fees.
- Banks are usually among the largest creditors in a corporate restructuring.
- A creditor is someone you owe money to.
- The shop became her creditor when she bought the furniture on credit.
- Base: creditor
- Plural: creditors
creditor nation
1country owed more abroad
A creditor nation is a country that is owed more money by other countries than it owes them.
- The country became a major creditor nation after years of trade surpluses.
- Creditor nations can have significant influence in international finance.
- Analysts debated whether the economy was still a net creditor nation.
creditor protection
1protection from creditor claims
Creditor protection gives a person or company temporary legal protection from people they owe money to.
- The airline filed for creditor protection while it tried to restructure its debts.
- Creditor protection gave the company time to find new investors.
- The business remained open after seeking creditor protection in court.
judgment creditor
1court-confirmed creditor
A judgment creditor is someone a court has officially said must be paid.
- After winning the lawsuit, she became a judgment creditor.
- The judgment creditor asked the court for permission to seize the debtor’s bank account.
- A judgment creditor may have stronger collection rights than an ordinary creditor.
secured creditor
1creditor backed by collateral
A secured creditor can take certain property if the debt is not paid.
- The bank was a secured creditor because the loan was backed by the factory building.
- Secured creditors are often paid before unsecured creditors in bankruptcy.
- As a secured creditor, the lender had a claim on the company’s equipment.
trade creditor
1supplier owed by business
A trade creditor is a supplier that a business has not paid yet.
- The retailer owed millions to trade creditors after a weak holiday season.
- Trade creditors agreed to extend payment terms for another 60 days.
- The company listed its landlords and suppliers as trade creditors.
unsecured creditor
1creditor without collateral
An unsecured creditor is owed money but does not have a claim to specific property if the debt is not paid.
- Suppliers are often unsecured creditors when a company goes bankrupt.
- Unsecured creditors may receive only a small part of what they are owed.
- The court approved a plan to repay unsecured creditors over five years.