Designating a loan (typically at a greater than usual rate of interest) offered to a borrower who is not qualified for other loans (e.g. because of poor credit history)
Subprime (also sub-prime or B-Paper) describes a specific lending market sector. Typically, subprime products (e.g., loans, mortgages, or credit cards) are for persons with blemished or limited credit history - those who do not qualify for the prime rate market