† ˈdebitor Obs.
Also 5 debytour.
[a. OF. débitor (14th c.), débiteur, ad. L. dēbitor, agent-n. f. dēbēre to owe. Débitor, -eur, was in French a learned term, the popular and proper F. form being dettor, -ur, -eur: see debtor. In English, debitor no doubt owed its 16–17th c. use to its identity with the L.]
A by-form of debtor, current from 15th to 17th c., esp. in Book-keeping.
| 1484 Caxton Curiall 4 Thenne art thou debytour of thy self. 1543 (title), A profitable Treatyce..to learne..the kepyng of the famouse reconynge, called in Latyn, Dare and Habere, and in Englyshe, Debitor and Creditor. 1588, 1660 [see creditor 2]. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. v. iv. 171 Oh the charity of a penny Cord, it summes vp thousands in a trice: you haue no true Debitor, and Creditor but it. 1660 Willsford Scales Comm. 209 By Debitor or Debitors in a Merchants books, is understood the account that oweth or stands charged, and..so all things received, or the Receiver is alwayes made Debitor. 1689 G. Harvey Curing Dis. by Expect. i. 2 The Physician..doth commonly..insinuate, that the Patient is Debitor for his Life. 1795 Wythe Decis. Virginia 15 A debitor who oweth money on several accounts. |
| attrib. 1588 J. Mellis Briefe Instr. C v, This Debitor side of your Leager. |