prime rate

noun

: an interest rate formally announced by a bank to be the lowest available at a particular time to its most credit-worthy customers

called also prime interest rate

Examples of prime rate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Zhang Peng | LightRocket | Getty Images China could cut its main policy rate as soon as next month following the country’s annual parliamentary meeting, economists told CNBC, after the country’s central bank kept the loan prime rates steady Thursday. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2025 The People’s Bank of China held the 1-year loan prime rate at 3.1%, and the 5-year LPR at 3.6%, according to the PBOC statement. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2025 The cut will reduce the prime rate and home equity loans will move down by .25 percent as a result. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024 The most direct impact from changes to the central bank's federal funds rate is on the prime rate, which is the rate banks charge on loans to customers with good credit. Rob Wile, NBC News, 18 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for prime rate

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prime rate was in 1924

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Cite this Entry

“Prime rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prime%20rate. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

Legal Definition

prime rate

noun
: an interest rate formally announced by a bank to be the lowest available at a particular time to its most creditworthy customers

called also prime, prime interest rate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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