usury

UK: /ˈjuːʒəri/ US: /ˈjuʒəri/ ,(yo̅o̅′zhə rē)

Inflections of 'usury' (n): npl: usuries

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

u•su•ry /ˈyuʒəri/   n. [uncountable]

1. the practice of lending money at an unfairly high interest rate.

u•sur•er, n. [countable]
u•sur•i•ous /yuˈʒʊriəs/  adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

u•su•ry  (yo̅o̅′zhə rē), n., pl. -ries. 

1. the lending or practice of lending money at an exorbitant interest.
2. an exorbitant amount or rate of interest, esp. in excess of the legal rate.
3. [Obs.] interest paid for the use of money.

• Medieval Latin ūsūria (compare Latin ūsūra), equivalent. to Latin ūs(us) (see use) + -ūr(a) -ure + -ia -y³
• Middle English usurie 1275–1325

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

usury / ˈjuːʒərɪ/ noun ( -ries)

1. the act or practice of loaning money at an exorbitant rate of interest
2. an exorbitant or unlawfully high amount or rate of interest
3. moneylending

Etymology: 14th Century: from Medieval Latin ūsūria, from Latin ūsūra usage, from ūsus use

usurious / juːˈʒʊərɪəs/ adjective

uˈsuriously adverb

uˈsuriousness noun