Definition

Proper noun A corporation chartered by the United States Congress to purchase residential mortgages from lenders, thereby creating a more liquid and stable secondary mortgage market. Its official name is the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC).

Usage

"Freddie Mac" is used as a proper noun to refer specifically to this government-sponsored enterprise (GSE). It is typically used in financial, real estate, and economic contexts.

Examples

• The lender sold the mortgage to Freddie Mac to free up capital for new loans.
• Freddie Mac and its sibling organization, Fannie Mae, play a critical role in the U.S. housing finance system.
• Investors can buy securities backed by pools of mortgages guaranteed by Freddie Mac.

Advanced Usage

• "to be in conservatorship": Since the 2008 financial crisis, Freddie Mac has been under the conservatorship of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).
  • Despite being in conservatorship, Freddie Mac continues to support the mortgage market.

Variants and Related Words

• Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC): The full, official name of the corporation.
• Government-Sponsored Enterprise (GSE): The category of financial services corporations, like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, created by the U.S. Congress.
• Fannie Mae: The common name for the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), Freddie Mac's counterpart in the secondary mortgage market.

Synonyms

• FHLMC (Acronym for the official name)

Notes on Meaning

This term refers exclusively to the specific U.S. corporation. It is not used as a common noun and does not have other general meanings. Its primary function is to provide liquidity, stability, and affordability to the mortgage market.

Noun

1. a corporation authorized by Congress to provide a secondary market for residential mortgages