interest

The price paid for obtaining, or price received for providing, money or goods in a credit transaction, calculated as a fraction of the amount or value of what was borrowed.

How to use

The term 'interest' is commonly used in financial and business contexts to describe the cost of borrowing money or the return on invested capital. A nuanced aspect of its usage is that it can be both countable and uncountable, depending on the context; for instance, 'The interest on this loan is high' (uncountable) versus 'The interests of investors were not aligned' (countable, meaning individual areas of concern or benefit). Learners should be cautious not to confuse 'interest' with 'interests' in contexts where the distinction affects meaning.