creditor n : a person to whom money is owed by a debtor; someone to whom an obligation exists [ant: debtor]

Creditor \Cred"it*or\ (kr?d"?t-?r), n. [L.: cf. F. cr?diteur. See Credit.]
1. One who credits, believes, or trusts. The easy creditors of novelties. --Daniel.
2. One who gives credit in business matters; hence, one to whom money is due; -- correlative to debtor. Creditors have better memories than debtors. --Franklin.

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A creditor is a party (e.g. person, organization, company, or government) that has a claim to the services of a second party. It is a person or institution to whom money is owed. The first party, in general, has provided some property or service to the second party under the assumption (usually enforced by contract) that the second party will return an equivalent property or service. The second party is frequently called a debtor or borrower. The first party is the creditor, which is the lender of property, service or money.

The term creditor is frequently used in the financial world, especially in reference to short term loans, long term bonds, and mortgage loans. In law, a person who has a money judgment entered in their favor by a court is called a judgement creditor.

The term creditor derives from the notion of credit. In modern America, credit refers to a rating which indicates the likelihood a borrower will pay back his or her loan. In earlier times, credit also referred to reputation or trustworthiness.