1
                                  Exhibit 4.2


                               FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
            8.136% JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEFERRABLE INTEREST DEBENTURE

No. A-1                                                             $206,186,000

      FIFTH THIRD BANCORP, a corporation organized and existing under the laws
of Ohio (hereinafter called the "Corporation", which term includes any successor
Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby
promises to pay to Wilmington Trust Company, a Property Trustee of Fifth Third
Capital Trust I or registered assigns, the principal sum of Two Hundred and Six
Million One Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand Dollars ($206,186,000) on March 15,
2027; provided that the Corporation may shorten the Stated Maturity of the
principal of this Security to a date not earlier than March 15, 2012, in the
circumstances described on the reverse hereof. The Corporation further promises
to pay interest on said principal sum from March 20, 1997, or from the most
recent payment date (each such date, an "Interest Payment Date") to which
interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually (subject to deferral
as set forth herein) in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year,
commencing September 15, 1997, at the rate of 8.136% per annum, until the
principal hereof is paid or duly provided for or made available for payment;
provided that any overdue principal, premium or Additional Sums and any overdue
installment of interest shall bear Additional Interest at the rate of 8.136% per
annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally
enforceable), compounded semi-annually, from the dates such amounts are due
until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be
payable on demand. The amount of interest payable for any period less than a
full interest period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve
30-day months and the actual days elapsed in a partial month in such period. The
amount of interest payable for any full interest period shall be computed by
dividing the applicable rate per annum by two. The interest so payable, and
punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as
provided in the Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or
one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on
the Regular Record Date for such interest installment (whether or not a Business
Day), next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so
punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the
Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose
name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the
close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted
Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of
Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record
Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with
the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this
series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange,
all as more fully provided in said Indenture.
   2
      So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the
Corporation shall have the right, at any time during the term of this Security,
from time to time to defer the payment of interest on this Security for up to 10
consecutive semi-annual interest payment periods with respect to each deferral
period (each an "Extension Period") at the end of which the Corporation shall
pay all interest then accrued and unpaid including any Additional Interest, as
provided below; provided, however, that no Extension Period shall extend beyond
the Stated Maturity of the principal of this Security and no such Extension
Period may end on a date other than an Interest Payment Date; and provided,
further, however, that during any such Extension Period, the Corporation shall
not (i) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase,
acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Corporation's
capital stock, or (ii) make any payment of principal of or interest or premium,
if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities of the Corporation
that rank pari passu in all respects with or junior in interest to this Security
(other than (a) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of
capital stock of the Corporation in connection with any employment contract,
benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or for the benefit of any one or
more employees, officers, directors or consultants, in connection with a
dividend reinvestment or stockholder stock purchase plan or in connection with
the issuance of capital stock of the Corporation (or securities convertible into
or exercisable for such capital stock) as consideration in an acquisition
transaction entered into prior to the applicable Extension Period, (b) as a
result of an exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Corporation's
capital stock (or any capital stock of a Subsidiary of the Corporation) for any
class or series of the Corporation's capital stock or of any class or series of
the Corporation's indebtedness for any class or series of the Corporation's
capital stock, (c) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the
Corporation's capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of
such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged, (d) any
declaration of a dividend in connection with any Rights Plan, or the issuance of
rights, stock or other property under any Rights Plan, or the redemption or
repurchase of rights pursuant thereto, or (e) any dividend in the form of stock,
warrants, options or other rights where the dividend stock or the stock issuable
upon exercise of such warrants, options or other rights is the same stock as
that on which the dividend is being paid or ranks pari passu with or junior to
such stock). Prior to the termination of any such Extension Period, the
Corporation may further defer the payment of interest, provided that no
Extension Period shall exceed 10 consecutive semi-annual interest payment
periods, extend beyond the Stated Maturity of the principal of this Security or
end on a date other than an Interest Payment Date. Upon the termination of any
such Extension Period and upon the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest
and any Additional Interest then due on any Interest Payment Date, the
Corporation may elect to begin a new


                                       -2-
   3
Extension Period, subject to the above conditions. No interest shall be due and
payable during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof, but each
installment of interest that would otherwise have been due and payable during
such Extension shall bear Additional Interest (to the extent that the payment of
such interest shall be legally enforceable) at the rate of 8.136% per annum,
compounded semi-annually and calculated as set forth in the first paragraph of
this Security, from the dates on which amounts would otherwise have been due and
payable until paid or made available for payment. The Corporation shall give the
Holder of this Security and the Trustee notice of its election to begin any
Extension Period at least one Business Day prior to the next succeeding Interest
Payment Date on which interest on this Security would be payable but for such
deferral or so long as such Securities are held by Fifth Third Capital Trust I
at least one Business Day prior to the earlier of (i) the next succeeding date
on which Distributions on the Capital Securities of such Issuer Trust would be
payable but for such deferral, and (ii) the date on which the Property Trustee
of such Issuer Trust is required to give notice to any securities exchange or
other applicable self-regulatory organization or to holders of such Capital
Securities of the record date or the date such Distributions are payable.

      Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this
Security will be made at the office or agency of the Corporation maintained for
that purpose in the United States, in such coin or currency of the United States
of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
private debts; provided, however, that at the option of the Corporation payment
of interest may be made (i) by check mailed to the address of the Person
entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Securities Register, or
(ii) by wire transfer in immediately available funds at such place and to such
account as may be designated by the Person entitled thereto as specified in the
Securities Register.

      The indebtedness evidenced by this Security is, to the extent provided in
the Indenture, subordinate and junior in right of payment to the prior payment
in full of all Senior Indebtedness, and this Security is issued subject to the
provisions of the Indenture with respect thereto. Each Holder of this Security,
by accepting the same, (a) agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions, (b)
authorizes and directs the Trustee on his or her behalf to take such actions as
may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination so provided, and
(c) appoints the Trustee his or her attorney-in-fact for any and all such
purposes. Each Holder hereof, by his or her acceptance hereof, waives all notice
of the acceptance of the subordination provisions contained herein and in the
Indenture by each holder of Senior Indebtedness, whether now outstanding or
hereafter incurred, and waives reliance by each such holder upon said
provisions.


                                       -3-
   4
      Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

      Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the
Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose.



                                       -4-
   5
      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.

                                    FIFTH THIRD BANCORP


                                    By: /s/ P. Michael Brumm
                                        -----------------------------
                                          Name: P. Michael Brumm
                                          Title: Executive Vice President
                                                 and Chief Financial Officer

Attest: /s/ Paul L. Reynolds
        -------------------------
        Assistant Secretary


                                       -5-
   6
      This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to
in the within mentioned Indenture.

Dated: March 20, 1997


                                    Wilmington Trust Company,
                                    as Trustee


                                    By: /s/ Emmett R. Harmon
                                        ------------------------------
                                          Authorized Officer


                                       -6-
   7
                               Reverse of Security

      This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the
Corporation (herein called the "Securities"), issued and to be issued in one or
more series under the Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of March 20, 1997
(herein called the "Indenture"), between the Corporation and Wilmington Trust
Company, as Trustee (herein called the "Trustee", which term includes any
successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures
supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective
rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the
Corporation, the Trustee, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of
the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be,
authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on
the face hereof limited in aggregate principal amount to $206,186,000.

      All terms used in this Security that are defined in the Indenture or in
the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated as of March 20, 1997 (as
modified, amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Trust Agreement"),
relating to Fifth Third Capital Trust I (the "Issuer Trust") among the
Corporation, as Depositor, the Trustees named therein and the Holders from time
to time of the Trust Securities issued pursuant thereto, shall have the meanings
assigned to them in the Indenture or the Trust Agreement, as the case may be.

      The Corporation may at any time, at its option, on or after March 15,
2007, and subject to the terms and conditions of Article XI of the Indenture,
redeem this Security in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at the
following Redemption Prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount
hereof). If redeemed during the 12-month period beginning March 15,




                  Year                    Redemption
                  ----                    Price 
                                          -----

                                             
                  2007                    104.0680%
                  2008                    103.6612
                  2009                    103.2544
                  2010                    102.8476
                  2011                    102.4408
                  2012                    102.0340
                  2013                    101.6272
                  2014                    101.2204
                  2015                    100.8136
                  2016                    100.4068


and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal 


                                       -7-
   8
amount hereof, together, in the case of any such redemption, with accrued
interest, including any Additional Interest, to but excluding the date fixed for
redemption.

      In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security
or Securities of this series for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in
the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

      If at any time a Tax Event or a Capital Treatment Event occurs and (i) in
the opinion of counsel to the Corporation experienced in such matters, there
would in all cases, after effecting the termination of any Trust which holds
this Security and the distribution of this Security to the holders of the Trust
Securities of such Trust in exchange therefor, be more than an insubstantial
risk that an Adverse Tax Consequence (as defined below) would continue to exist,
(ii) in the reasonable determination of the Corporation, there would in all
cases, after effecting the termination of any Trust which holds this Security
and the distribution of this Security to the holders of the Trust Securities of
such Trust in exchange therefor, be more than an insubstantial risk that the
Corporation would not be entitled to treat an amount equal to the Liquidation
Amount of such Trust Securities as "Tier 1 Capital" (or the then equivalent
thereof) for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines of the Federal Reserve,
as then in effect and applicable to the Corporation, or (iii) this Security is
not held by a Trust, then the Corporation shall have the right (a) to shorten
the Stated Maturity of this Security to the minimum extent required, but in any
event to a date not earlier than March 15, 2012 (the action referred to in this
clause (a) being referred to herein as a "Maturity Advancement"), such that, in
the opinion of counsel to the Corporation experienced in such matters, after
advancing the Stated Maturity, interest paid hereon will be deductible for
United States federal income tax purposes, or (b) if either (x) in the opinion
of counsel to the Corporation experienced in such matters, there would in all
cases, after effecting a Maturity Advancement, be more than an insubstantial
risk that an Adverse Tax Consequence would continue to exist or (y) in the
reasonable determination of the Corporation, there would in all cases, after
effecting a Maturity Advancement, be more than an insubstantial risk that the
Corporation would not be entitled to treat an amount equal to the Liquidation
Amount of the Trust Securities of a Trust holding this Security, if any, as
"Tier 1 Capital" (or the then equivalent thereof) for purposes of the capital
adequacy guidelines of the Federal Reserve, as then in effect and applicable to
the Corporation, to redeem this Security, in whole but not in part, at any time
within 90 days following the occurrence of the Tax Event or Capital Treatment
Event, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount hereof plus
accrued and unpaid interest hereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.
"Adverse Tax Consequence" means any of the following circumstances: (i) a Trust
which holds this Security is, 


                                      -8-
   9
or will be, within 90 days of the Opinion of Counsel giving rise to a Tax Event,
subject to United States federal income tax with respect to income received or
accrued on this Security, (ii) interest payable by the Corporation on this
Security is not, or within 90 days of the date of such Opinion of Counsel will
not be, deductible by the Corporation, in whole or in part, for United States
federal income tax purposes or (iii) a Trust which holds this Security is, or
will be within 90 days of the date of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to more
than a de minimis amount of other taxes, duties or other governmental charges.

      The provisions of Section 11.7 of the Indenture shall not apply to this
Security.

      The Indenture contains provisions for satisfaction and discharge of the
entire indebtedness of this Security upon compliance by the Corporation with
certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.

      The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
Corporation and the Trustee at any time to enter into a supplemental indenture
or indentures for the purpose of modifying in any manner the rights and
obligations of the Corporation and of the Holders of the Securities, with the
consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of each series to be affected by such supplemental
indenture. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting Holders of
specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at
the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series,
to waive compliance by the Corporation with certain provisions of the Indenture
and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such
consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding
upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any
Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor
or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made
upon this Security.

      As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, if an Event
of Default with respect to the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding
occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case the Trustee or the Holders
of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities
of this series may declare the principal amount of all the Securities of this
series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the
Corporation (and to the Trustee if given by Holders) provided that, if upon an
Event of Default, the Trustee or such Holders fail to declare the principal of
all the Outstanding Securities of this series to be immediately due and payable,
the holders of at least 25% in aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Capital
Securities then Outstanding shall have the right to make 


                                      -9-
   10
such declaration by a notice in writing to the Corporation and the Trustee; and
upon any such declaration the principal amount of and the accrued interest
(including any Additional Interest) on all the Securities of this series shall
become immediately due and payable, provided that the payment of principal and
interest (including any Additional Interest) on such Securities shall remain
subordinated to the extent provided in Article XIII of the Indenture.

      No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Corporation, which
is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest (including any Additional Interest) on this Security at the times,
place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

      As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Securities
Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the
office or agency of the Corporation maintained under Section 10.2 of the
Indenture for such purpose, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Corporation and the
Securities Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or such Holder's
attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of
this series, of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same
aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or
transferees.

      The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without
coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. As
provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth,
Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount
of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized
denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

      No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or
exchange, but the Corporation may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

      Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer,
the Corporation, the Trustee and any agent of the Corporation or the Trustee may
treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof
for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the
Corporation, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.

      The Corporation and, by its acceptance of this Security or a beneficial
interest therein, the Holder of, and any Person that 


                                      -10-
   11
      acquires a beneficial interest in, this Security agree that for United
States Federal, state and local tax purposes it is intended that this Security
constitute indebtedness.

      THIS SECURITY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.


                                      -11-