Lien
/liΛΙn/noun
A legal right or interest that a lender has in the borrower's property, granted until the debt obligation is satisfied.
Did you know?In medieval times, a lien was seen as a magical binding that could tether a person's fortunes to their debts, a practice rooted in the belief of property as an extension of the self.
Etymological Timeline
Old French
Old French
lien
βA binding or tie, often related to legal obligations.β
Late Latin
Late Latin
ligamen
βA binding, link, or bond, derived from 'ligare' meaning to bind.β
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leig-
βTo bind or tie, formulating the concept of attachment.β
Middle English
Middle English
lien
βA term adopted from Old French to denote a legal right regarding property.β
Modern English
English
lien
βA recognized legal claim on a property to secure a debt.β
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