national debt
noun /ˌnæʃnəl ˈdet/
/ˌnæʃnəl ˈdet/
[usually singular]- the total amount of money that the government of a country owes
- The country has a national debt of 80% of GNP.
CultureIn Britain, the amount borrowed every year is known as the Public Sector Net Cash Requirement, and is added to the national debt.