1. Someone who lends money at excessive rates or interest; especially, at an exorbitant or unlawfully high rate: Since Max was in desperate need for money, he went to a usurer for a fast loan and he didn't realize that the guy was a loan shark who charged very high prices for such monetary uses.
2. Etymology: borrowed in 1300 from Anglo-French ususrer; a variation of Old French usurier; from Late Latin usurarius, "moneylender; from Latin usurarius, "that which pays interest, for use"; from usura, "use"; from the stem uti, "to use".