Definition of "promissory" [prom•is•so•ry]

• Containing, involving, or having the nature of a promise. (adjective)
• Indicating how the provisions of an insurance contract will be carried out after it has been signed. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The state will put euro 8.3 billion into Anglo Irish Bank, in the form of long-term promissory notes, but another euro10 billion may be required, Lenihan said."
• "Warnings of risks connected with investments in short-term promissory notes had been directed at investors on different occasions by the Government, and this incident once again confirmed the precaution they should exercise when making investment decisions, Dr Alant said."
• ""No legislative powers exist at present to enable the authorities to monitor the activities of financial advisers or supervise the issuing of short-term promissory notes by companies in terms of the Companies Act." As a result of this, the Government has already, on the strength of findings and recommendations by the Jacobs Committee, appointed the Melamet Committtee with the request to prepare legislation which will be considered during the next"