subprime UK /ˈsʌb.pɹʌɪm/US /ˈsʌb.pɹaɪm/adjective 3noun 1forms 1 adjective3 •Less than prime; inferior. •Designating a loan (typically at a greater than usual rate of interest) offered to a borrower who is not qualified for other loans (for example, because of a poor credit history).Central to the story was Steve Eisman, an eccentric and rebarbative hedge-funder who was one of the earliest to see through the subprime lies. — 2014 •(US, old-fashioned) Designating a type of commercial lending rate, less than the prime rate, offered to desirable borrowers. noun1 •A subprime loan. formssubprimes
