u|su|ry

u|su|ry «YOO zhuhr ee», noun, plural -ries.

1. the lending of money at an extremely high or unlawful rate of interest.

2. an extremely high or unlawful rate of interest.

3. Obsolete. a) interest. b) the fact or practice of lending money at interest.

╂[< Medieval Latin usuria, alteration of Latin ūsūra; see etym. under usurer (Cf. ↑usurer)]