Etimology
From Middle English interest, from Old French interesse and interest (French intérêt), from Medieval Latin interesse, from Latin interesse.
noun
interest (usually uncountable, plural interests)
(uncountable, finance) The price paid for obtaining, or price received for providing, money or goods in a credit transaction, calculated as a fraction of the amount or value of what was borrowed. [from earlier 16th c.]
(uncountable, finance) Any excess over and above an exact equivalent
(uncountable) A great attention and concern from someone or something; intellectual curiosity. [from later 18th c.]
(uncountable) Attention that is given to or received from someone or something.
(countable) An involvement, claim, right, share, stake in or link with a financial, business, or other undertaking or endeavor.
(countable) Something which, or someone whom, one is interested in.
(uncountable) Condition or quality of exciting concern or being of importance.
(obsolete, rare) Injury, or compensation for injury; damages.
(usually in the plural) The persons interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively.
(historical, usually attributive) a genre of factual short films, generally more amusing than informative, especially those not covered by a more specific genre label
Examples
Our bank offers borrowers an annual interest of 5%.
You shall have your desires with interest
He has a lot of interest in vintage cars.
The skipper Mr. Cooke had hired at Far Harbor was a God-fearing man with a luke warm interest in his new billet and employer, and had only been prevailed upon to take charge of the yacht after the offer of an emolument equal to half a year's sea pay of an ensign in the navy.
Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’ and if you don't look out there's likely to be some nice, lively dog taking an interest in your underpinning.”
[…] St. Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London. Close-packed, crushed by the buttressed height of the railway viaduct, rendered airless by huge walls of factories, it at once banished lively interest from a stranger's mind and left only a dull oppression of the spirit.
Over the past few years, however, interest has waxed again. A series of epidemiological studies, none big enough to be probative, but all pointing in the same direction, persuaded Emma Wilmot of the University of Leicester, in Britain, to carry out a meta-analysis. This is a technique that combines diverse studies in a statistically meaningful way.
Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."
When scientists and doctors write articles and when politicians run for office, they are required in many countries to declare any existing conflicts of interest .
I have business interests in South Africa.
She has an interest in the proceedings, and all stakeholders' interests must be protected.
Lexicography is one of my interests.
Victorian furniture is an interest of mine.
The main character's romantic interest will be played by a non-professional actor.
The conscience, indeed, is already violated when to moral good or evil we oppose things possessing no moral interest.
How can this infinite beauty, power and goodnes admit any correspondencie or similitude with a thing so base and abject as we are, without extreme interest and manifest derogation from his divine greatnesse?
Coordinate terms: industry, trust, syndicate
the iron interest; the cotton interest
By interest films is meant a variety of subjects which cannot be classified under such recognized headings as fiction, travel, or topical. They include wonderful inventions, little known industries, applied art, feats of engineering, and other events capable of effective illustration.
The arrangements made ensured that the total cost of censorship could be kept down to one-fifth of a penny per foot of film censored .
At the top of Charing Cross Road is the "Tatler," which has specialised for a long time in a general sort of program, built up of about 15 minutes of news, a cartoon , an interest picture, occasionally a comedy, and nearly always a documentary.
Related words
synonyms
(fraction of the amount or value of what was borrowed): cost of money, oker
hyponyms
accrued interest
beneficial interest
capitalized interest
carried interest
compound interest
consumer interest
controlling interest
exact interest
imputed interest
insurable interest
minority interest
nominee interest
open interest
ordinary interest
prepaid interest
security interest
short interest
simple interest
true interest cost
unearned interest
verb
interest (third-person singular simple present interests, present participle interesting, simple past and past participle interested)
To engage the attention of; to awaken interest in; to excite emotion or passion in, in behalf of a person or thing.
(obsolete, often impersonal) To be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern; to excite.
(obsolete) To cause or permit to share.
Examples
It might interest you to learn that others have already tried that approach.
Action films don't really interest me.
Or rather, gracious sir, / Create me to this glory, since my cause / Doth interest this fair quarrel.
The mystical communion of all faithful men is such as maketh every one to be interested in those precious blessings which any one of them receiveth at God's hands.
Related words
antonyms
bore
disinterest