Interest
/ˈɪn.tər.əst/noun
A feeling of curiosity or concern about something, or money charged for borrowing capital.
Did you know?In medieval legal Latin, quod interest meant “what matters” or “what concerns someone,” helping interest evolve from personal concern into a financial claim or charge.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁es-
“To be or exist”
Classical Latin
Latin
interesse
“To be between, be present, or matter to someone”
Medieval Latin
Latin
interesse
“A concern, importance, or legal damage owed to a person”
13th–14th Century
Anglo-French
interest
“A legal concern, right, or claim in property”
15th Century
English
interest
“A concern, advantage, or share in something”
16th–17th Century
English
interest
“A charge paid for the use of borrowed money”
Modern English
English
interest
“Curiosity, concern, financial return, or a stake in an outcome”