dette

English

Etymology

See debt.

Noun

dette (countable and uncountable, plural dettes)

1. (obsolete) Debt.

Translations

debt — see debt

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Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈd̥ɛd̥ə]

Pronoun

dette

1. neuter singular of denne

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French

Alternative forms

• debte (obsolete)
• dête (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle French debte from Old French dete, from Latin dēbita, plural of dēbitum. Doublet of débit

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɛt/

• audio

  (file)

Noun

dette f (plural dettes)

1. debt

Usage notes

While both dette and créance correspond with English debt, dette is seen from the perspective of the borrower (money they owe), whereas créance is seen from the perspective of the lender (money owed to them).

Antonyms

• créance

Derived terms

• endetter

Further reading

• “dette” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

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Italian

Adjective

dette

1. feminine plural of detto

Verb 1

dette f pl

1. feminine plural of the past participle of dire
2. feminine plural of the past participle of dirsi

Verb 2

dette

1. third-person singular past historic of dare

   Synonym: diede

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Middle English

Alternative forms

• dett, det
• (rare) debte, deatte, debt

Etymology

From Old French dete, from Latin dēbita, from the plural of dēbitum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɛt(ə)/

Noun

dette (plural dettes)

1. Goods or possessions owed to or due to another person; a debt.
2. The state of debt; the condition one is when one has a debt or monetary obligation.
3. Something which one is obliged to do (by law, society, or belief):
   1. Sex (i.e. as something which one's partner requires of oneself).
   2. Death (i.e. as something which the nature of humanity requires of oneself)
   3. (rare) The requirement to fight back against one who has hurt oneself.
4. Something that one deserves (negatively); one's fate or punishment.
5. (theology) Sin; acts which go against the dictates of a higher power.

   • a. 1382, John Wycliffe, “Matheu 6:9-14”, in Wycliffe's Bible:

     And thus ye ſchulen preye, Oure fadir that art in heuenes, halewid be thi name; / thi kyngdoom come to; be thi wille don `in erthe as in heuene; / ȝyue to vs this dai oure `breed ouer othir ſubſtaunce; / and forȝyue to vs oure dettis, as we forȝyuen to oure dettouris; and lede vs not in to temptacioun, / but delyuere vs fro yuel / Amen […]

     And you should pray like this: "Our father that's in heaven, your name will be hailed; / your kingdom will come; your will will be done on Earth just like in heaven; / give us our bread or other sustenance today; / and forgive us of our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us; and don't let us fall into temptation, but instead save us from evil. / Amen." […]

6. (law, rare) An legal action in order to collect a money owed to one.

Derived terms

• dettour
• detty

Descendants

• English: debt
• Scots: det, debt

References

• “dette, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Adjective

dette (rare)

1. Having a debt or monetary obligation or having people owe debt towards you.
2. Appropriate, fitting, seemly; meshing with societal standards.
3. Required, needful, necessary; not optional.
4. Fitting, fair or deserving; according to justice.

References

• “dette, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

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Norman

Etymology

From Old French dete, from Latin dēbita, plural of dēbitum.

Noun

dette f (plural dettes)

1. (Jersey) debt

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Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Old Norse þetta

Pronoun

dette

1. this (neuter of denne)

Etymology 2

From Old Norse detta

Verb

dette

1. to fall

References

• “dette” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

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Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²dɛtːə/

Etymology 1

From Old Norse þetta.

Pronoun

dette

1. this (neuter of denne)

Verb

dette (present tense dett, past tense datt, past participle dotte, passive infinitive dettast, present participle dettande, imperative dett)

1. Alternative form of detta

References

• “dette” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.