usuraio
loan shark, usurer
noun oo-zoo-RAH-yoh Rare
Origin: From Latin usura (interest, use of money).
Usage Note
Usuraio refers to someone who lends money at exorbitant interest rates, a loan shark. The feminine is usuraia. The crime of usury is usura, and the related adjective is usurario. In Italy, lending at rates above the legal threshold (tasso soglia) constitutes the criminal offence of usura. Do not confuse usuraio with usurpatore (usurper), which has a different root.
Examples
"Si è rivolto a un usuraio per pagare i debiti."
Natural Translation
He turned to a loan shark to pay his debts.
Related Words
Explore Italian by topic