Definition of "Bond"

Interest paying certificate issued by a government, public agency or corporation, promising to pay the holder a specified sum on a specified date.

A certificate of indebtedness in which the issuer (borrower) promises to pay the bondholder (creditor) a specified amount of interest for a specified time period and to repay the debt at maturity. Obligations that are due in more than one year are classified as bonds whereas if the debt is for less than one year, it is called a "note." Bondholders are creditors of the issuer and they do not have ownership privileges. A bond may be registered either by issuing certificates in the bondholder's name, book-entry or in bearer certificates.