Shylock is a Jewish money lender in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice." The term, shorthand for loan shark, has long been considered offensive.

After facing criticism, President Donald Trump said he was unaware that the term “Shylock” was widely considered antisemitic when he used it to describe unscrupulous bankers during a rally Thursday in Iowa.

Shylock refers to the villainous Jewish moneylender in Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” who demands a pound of flesh from a debtor.