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guarantor

guarantor

7 6.5
A person or company who promises to pay a debt if someone else cannot
  • noun
  • /ˌɡɛrəntɔr/
  • Formal
translation icon : garante
  • As a guarantor, he promised to pay the loan if the borrower could not.
  • guarantor on a loan
  • serve as guarantor
  • ultimate guarantor

According to Angel, the economic interdependence between industrial countries would be the real guarantor of the good behaviour of one state to another.

Examples

  • To get this loan, I had to act as personal guarantor.

  • The wasta must be a guarantor who assumes responsibility for the client's performance.

    Academic text (1994)
  • It's what being a personal guarantor means.

  • As guarantor, the cardinal was at risk for a considerable sum.

  • This is the Guarantors Assurance Company.

  • Now, Arthur, this judgment has been accepted by all parties and Mr. Carter, who has very thoughtfully agreed to be your guarantor and custodian.

  • Ramon may give loans or jobs, sponsor parties or baptisms, or serve as guarantor on a loan.

    Academic text (1991)
  • I will pay you back at five percent interest with Anacleto and Captain Weincheck as guarantors.

  • My father acted as a guarantor when I applied for my first credit card.

  • In order to secure the rental agreement, she needed a reliable guarantor to co-sign.

Synonyms

bondsman
vsguarantor
  • Specialized
16 8.9

A person who promises to pay money to free someone on bail

covers general debts or obligations not only bail situations
surety
vsguarantor
  • Formal
2 8.5

A person who promises to pay or go to court if someone else fails to do so

has the same meaning but is the more common general term
cosigner
vsguarantor
  • US
1 4.5

A person who signs with someone and promises to pay if the main signer cannot

promises payment if the other party fails rather than sharing signing responsibility

How Liable

guarantor
  • Formal
7 6.5
cosigner
  • US
1 4.5
endorser
  • Formal
6.8

Surface Forms

guarantor singular
guarantors plural

Morphology

guarantor = guarantee (transparent) = guarantee + or

Formed by a standard agentive suffix '-or' added to 'guarantee', so the meaning 'one who guarantees' is directly derived.

Etymology

Guarantor comes from the same root as guarantee and the old word warrant, which meant 'to protect' or 'to promise'. So a guarantor is someone who gives a promise to protect a loan or to pay a debt if the borrower cannot.