Un créancier est une personne qui possède une créance représentée par un titre de créance sur une personne, une entreprise ou un État souverain, appelé débiteur. On distingue les créanciers privilégiés des créanciers chirographaires.

A creditor is a party (e.g. person, organization, company, or government) that has a claim on the services of a second party. It is a person or institution to whom money is owed. The first party, in general, has provided some property or service to the second party under the assumption (usually enforced by contract) that the second party will return an equivalent property and service. The second party is frequently called a debtor or borrower. The first party is the creditor, which is the lender of property, service or money.