Loan Definition

lōn

loaned, loaning, loans

noun

loans

An instance of lending.

A bank that makes loans to small businesses.

American Heritage

Something lent; esp., a sum of money lent, often for a specified period and repayable with interest.

Webster's New World

The agreement or contract specifying the terms and conditions of the repayment of such a sum.

American Heritage

The act of lending, esp. for short-term use.

The loan of a pen.

Webster's New World

The repayment obligation associated with such an agreement.

She couldn't afford the loan after losing her job.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

verb

loaned, loaning, loans

To lend.

Webster's New World

(usually double , US, dated in UK, informal) To lend (something) to (someone).

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

idiom

on loan

lent for temporary use or service to another by the owner, regular employer, etc.

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Loan

Singular:

loan

Plural:

loans

From Middle English lone, lane, from Old Norse lán (“loan"), from Proto-Germanic *laihnÄ… (“that which is lent, loan, fief"), from Proto-Indo-European *leykÊ·- (“to leave, leave over"). Cognate with Icelandic lán (“loan"), Swedish lÃ¥n (“loan"), Danish lÃ¥n (“loan"), German Lehen (“fief, feudal estate"), Dutch leen (“fief, feudatory, something lent"), West Frisian lien (“something borrowed, loan"), North Frisian leen (“fief, loan, office"), Scots lane, lain, len (“loan"), Old English lÇ£n (“loan, borrowing, lease, grant, gift, present, benefit"). More at lend.

From Wiktionary
Middle English lan, lon from Old Norse lān leikw- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
See lawn.

From Wiktionary