Dictionary Home »
Webster's New World College Dictionary » interest
interest
interest definition
in·ter·est (in′trist, -trəst, -tər ist; also, esp. for v., -tər est′, -trest′)
noun
- a right or claim to something
- a share or participation in something
- something, as a business, in which one participates or has a share
- a personal connection or involvement which might be thought to compromise one's impartiality in carrying out one's official duties
- advantage; welfare; benefit
- a group of people having a common concern or dominant power in some industry, occupation, cause, etc. the steel interests
- personal influence
- a feeling of intentness, concern, or curiosity about something an interest in politics
- the power of causing this feeling books of interest to children
- something causing this feeling the academic interests of a scholar
- importance; consequence a matter of little interest
- money paid for the use of money
- the rate of such payment, expressed as a percentage per unit of time
- an increase over what is owed to repay kindness with interest
Etymology: ME interesse < ML usury, compensation (in L, to be between, be different, interest < inter-, between + esse, to be: see is): altered, infl. by OFr interest < L, it interests, concerns, 3d pers. sing., pres. indic., of interesse
transitive verb
- to involve the interest, or concern, of; have an effect upon
- to cause to have an interest or take part in can I interest you in a game of golf?
- to excite the attention or curiosity of
Etymology: prob. < ME interessed < interesse + -ed
interest Idioms
Browse dictionary definitions near interest
Also Mentioned In