Interest

Definitions of interest

noun money paid regularly at a particular rate for the use of money lent, or for delaying the repayment of a debt

Example Sentences

A1 I have a lot of interest in learning new languages.

A2 She showed interest in joining the school's drama club.

B1 His interest in photography led him to take a class on the subject.

B2 The company's profits are directly tied to the shareholders' interests.

C1 Her keen interest in history drove her to pursue a PhD in the subject.

C2 The government's decision to raise taxes sparked public interest and debate.

Examples of interest in a Sentence

formal The bank offers a competitive interest rate for savings accounts.

informal I have a keen interest in learning about different cultures.

slang I've got zero interest in watching that movie again.

figurative Her eyes sparkled with interest as she listened to the story.

Grammatical Forms of interest

• past tense: interested
• plural: interests
• comparative: more interesting
• superlative: most interesting
• present tense: interest
• future tense: will interest
• perfect tense: has interested
• continuous tense: is interesting
• singular: interest
• positive degree: interesting
• infinitive: to interest
• gerund: interesting
• participle: interested

Origin and Evolution of interest

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'interest' originated from the Latin word 'interest', which means 'it interests, it concerns' or 'it is important'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'interest' evolved to also refer to the extra money paid on a loan or the benefit gained from an investment, reflecting the concept of something being important or concerning to someone's financial well-being.