usance

noun

"usance" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“usance” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The length of time permitted for the payment of a bill of exchange.

Corpus desk

Index EN-usance · usance · English

usance · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "U" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for usance
PropertyValue
Headwordusance
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “usance” in English

usancefalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

usance is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for usance in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English usaunce, from Old French usance. The correct English form is usance, spelled U-S-A-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The length of time permitted for the payment of a bill of exchange.
  2. 2
    Use.
  3. 3
    Customary or habitual usage.
  4. 4
    The interest paid on a borrowed sum, usury.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how usance appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. He lends out money gratis,and brings downe The rate of vſance here with vs in Venice.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English usaunce, from Old French usance.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "usance"?
"usance" is spelled U-S-A-N-C-E.
What does "usance" mean?
As a noun, "usance" means: The length of time permitted for the payment of a bill of exchange.
What is the origin of the word "usance"?
Inherited from Middle English usaunce, from Old French usance. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list