'moneylender' originates from English as a compound of 'money' and 'lender'. 'money' ultimately comes from Old French 'moneie', via Latin 'moneta' (referring to a mint or coin), and 'lender' is formed from Old English 'lǣnan' (to lend) plus the agent suffix '-er'.

'money' entered English from Old French 'moneie' (from Latin 'moneta'), and 'lend' comes from Old English 'lǣnan'. In Middle English the compound 'money-lender' was used, which eventually became the modern English 'moneylender'.

Initially it simply denoted a person who lends money; over time the term sometimes acquired negative connotations, referring to usurious or unscrupulous lenders.