Legal Definitions - rente

Definition: Rente is a French term that means income or rent. In French law, it has two main meanings:

1. Annual income or rent, such as rente foncière (ground rent) which is a perpetual rent payable for the use of land, or rente viagère (life rent) which is a rent charge or annuity payable for life.
2. Interest paid annually by the French government on the public debt, which can be in the form of government stock, bond, or annuity.

Additionally, rentier refers to a person who owns or holds rentes, or makes a living off an income from property or investment.

Example: If someone owns a piece of land and allows another person to use it in exchange for a yearly payment, that payment is considered rente foncière. Similarly, if the French government issues a bond that pays interest annually, that interest is considered rente. A rentier could be someone who owns multiple rental properties and earns income from the rent paid by tenants.

These examples illustrate how rente can refer to different types of income or rent, whether it is from land, government debt, or other investments.