Glossary and terms about credit cardsHome » Credit Card Glossary

A B C D Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E List All

Prime rate (or prime interest rate)

Prime rate, or Prime Lending Rate, is a term applied in many countries to a reference interest rate used by banks. The term originally indicated the rate of interest at which banks lent to favored customers, i.e., those with high credibility, though this is no longer always the case. Some variable interest rates may be expressed as a percentage above or below prime rate.