Usurious is an adjective describing lending at unreasonably high interest rates or terms that exploit borrowers. It implies illegitimate, excessive charges and a predatory financial practice, often leading to severe financial hardship for the borrower. The term carries a strong negative judgment and is commonly used in legal, economic, or ethical discussions about lending behavior.
US: rhotics are pronounced; stress clearly on the first syllable; practice /ˈjuːʒərəs/ with a slightly stronger /r/. UK: more non-rhotic tendency; could be /ˈjuːʒ(ə)rəs/ with light r; vowel lengths may be shorter; focus on the /ʒ/ and the reduced final /əs/. AU: often non-rhotic; the /r/ may be weaker; vowel reduction is common; emphasize the /ʒ/ clearly and let the final /əs/ glide. IPA references help: /ˈjuːʒərəs/ (US), /ˈjuːʒ(ə)rəs/ (UK), /ˈjuːʒ(ə)rəs/ (AU).
"The loan was deemed usurious after an audit revealed interest rates far above the legal limit."
"Authorities cracked down on usurious lenders who targeted vulnerable communities."
"Many borrowers fell into debt traps due to usurious terms and hidden fees."
"The court voided the contract because the usurious clause violated state lending laws."
Usurious derives from the noun usury, which comes from Old French usure, from Latin usura meaning ‘the practice of interest’ from usus ‘use, use of money’ and surare ‘to owe with interest’ (ultimately from Latin ars ‘art, skill’ in the sense of operating a loan). In Middle English, usury referred to the lending of money at interest, often with moral condemnation; religious and legal authorities deemed excessive rates immoral or illegal. The word shifted in modern English to describe any lending practice that imposes exorbitant, exploitative interest relative to prevailing norms or laws. The adjective usurious entered usage to label terms, rates, or contracts that exemplify or perpetrate such exploitative lending, especially where statutory caps or usury laws exist. First known uses appear in legal and religious critiques of medieval and early modern lending practices, evolving in the 16th–19th centuries as capitalism expanded and financial instruments diversified. Today, usurious is widely recognized in legal, economic, and ethical discourse as a strong pejorative for predatory lending behaviors with interest or fees that overwhelm borrowers’ ability to repay.
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Words that rhyme with "Usurious"
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Usurious is pronounced /ˈjuːʒərəs/ in US and UK English, with two unstressed syllables after the first: US-ər-əs. Break it down as: /ˈjuː/ (you as in 'cue'), /ʒ/ (the 's' in treasure, as in 'measure'), /ə/ (schwa, the quick 'uh'), /r/ (rhotic 'r'), /əs/ (uhs). The primary stress falls on the first syllable: YOU-zhuh-ruhs. Audio references you can check include pronunciation dictionaries and native-speaker samples on Pronounce or Forvo.
Common errors: mispronouncing the /ʒ/ as /ʃ/ (sh) or turning /juː/ into /juːɪ/; under-emphasizing the secondary syllables leading to ‘YOU-zher-us’ instead of ‘YOU-zhuh-rus.’ Also, dropping the final /əs/ into a whispered or clipped ending. Correction: keep the /ʒ/ sound like in ‘measure’; maintain the unstressed schwa /ə/ before the final /əs/; ensure the first syllable carries primary stress. Practice with slow repeats and listening to native samples on Pronounce or Forvo.
US: strong rhoticity; /ˈjuːʒərəs/ with clear /ər/ and /ɹ/. UK: similar but might be less rhotic in some accents; /ˈjuːʒ(ə)rəs/ with a lighter /r/; AU: often non-rhotic in some contexts, may sound closer to /ˈjuːʒ(ə)rəs/ with a subtle /r/ or non-rhotic linking. Core vowel /juː/ remains; the /ʒ/ is consistent across accents; the final schwa is often reduced more in Australian speech.
The /ʒ/ sound is less common in some languages and can be difficult for learners who default to /ʃ/ or /ɡʒ/. The sequence /ˈjuːʒə/ requires both a voiced postalveolar fricative and a quick schwa before the /r/. In fast speech, the vowels compress, and the /r/ can become subtle or linked, making it easy to blur into /ˈjuːzjərəs/ or /ˈjuːzərəs/. Practice with minimal pairs and focused listening to native samples.
A key distinctive feature is the /ʒ/ in the middle, a voiced postalveolar fricative different from /ʃ/. It’s not a simple /z/ or /s/; it has a soft, buzzing quality like in 'measure' or 'fusion.' Maintain the syllabic rhythm: YOU-zhuh-rus, with the /ə/ before the final /rəs/ reduced. This helps avoid over-enunciation of the middle consonant and preserves the natural flow of the word.
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