money or goods or services owed by one person to another
"After losing his job, John had to take out a loan to pay off the debt he owed to his landlord for last month's rent."
an obligation to pay or do something
"After signing the contract, he realized that his new job carried a heavy debt of loyalty to his former team."
An action, state of mind, or object one has an obligation to perform for another, adopt toward another, or give to another.
"He felt a deep sense of debt to his mentor for the guidance that helped him through his darkest days."
In plain English: Debt is money that you owe to someone else and have promised to pay back later.
"He decided to pay off his credit card debt before the year ended."
Usage: In everyday usage, debt refers specifically to money that is owed and must be repaid, rather than the broader philosophical concept of moral obligations. It describes a financial liability where one party holds a sum of funds from another with an expectation of future repayment.
The word debt comes from the Latin dēbitum, which originally meant "what is owed." It traveled into Middle English through Old French, where it was borrowed as dete.