Spelling.School · How to spell

How to spell debt

Debt is spelled D-E-B-T.

hear itdebt/dɛt/nounSilent and tricky

What it means: The state of owing something to another person.

In a sentence: I borrowed a toy from my friend, so I am in debt until I give it back.

The part people get wrong

Watch for a silent b, and an unstressed vowel that is hard to hear.

Same family: debts, debtor, indebted, liability, loan. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Debt” comes from Old French “dete,” from Latin “debitum,” meaning “that which is owed.” The silent letter b was later added in English to reflect its Latin origin, even though it’s not pronounced.

Try spelling it

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