In law, a lien is a form of security interest granted over an item of property to secure the payment of a debt or performance of some other obligation. The owner of the property, who grants the lien, is referred to as the lienor and the person who has the benefit of the lien is referred to as the lienee. The etymological root is Anglo-French lien, loyen “bond”, “restraint”, from Latin ligamen, from ligare “to bind”.