Borrowed

Borrowed is the past participle and adjective of the verb borrow. It describes something obtained with the intention of returning it, or ownership that has passed briefly to another. Common uses include a borrowed cup, a borrowed book, and the phrase borrowed time to describe time granted under special circumstances. In everyday speech, borrowed implies temporary transfer rather than permanent ownership, and its opposite is lent or owned.

In linguistics, a borrowed word (loanword) is a term adopted from another language. Borrowing occurs when a language needs a term for a concept or is in contact with another culture. Borrowed words may undergo phonetic, morphological, and semantic adaptation to fit the borrowing language; some retain their original form, others are altered. Examples include kindergarten (German), café (French), and sushi (Japanese). Borrowings can be complete or partial; calques are related but distinct.

In finance, borrowed can describe resources obtained by loan. 'Borrowed money' carries an obligation to repay principal plus interest; 'borrowed capital' refers to funds used to finance projects. The term contrasts with own or invest with own funds.

Other uses include idioms such as borrowed time or phrases that describe temporary possession. The word appears across literature, law, and commerce with meanings shaped by context.

Etymology: The verb borrow derives from Old English and related Germanic languages, reflecting a long-standing notion of temporary transfer.