amortize

[ am-er-tahyz, uh-mawr-tahyz ]
/ ˈæm ərˌtaɪz, əˈmɔr taɪz /

verb (used with object), am·or·tized, am·or·tiz·ing.

Finance.
  1. to liquidate or extinguish (a mortgage, debt, or other obligation), especially by periodic payments to the creditor or to a sinking fund.
  2. to write off a cost of (an asset) gradually.
Old English Law. to convey to a corporation or church group; alienate in mortmain.
Also especially British, am·or·tise.

Origin of amortize

1375–1425; Middle English amortisen < Anglo-French, Old French amortiss-, long stem of amortir literally, to kill, die < Vulgar Latin *a(d)mortīre (derivative of Latin mors, stem mort- death, with ad- ad-); -ize later replacing -is(s)-, probably by association with Anglo-Latin a(d)mortizāre

OTHER WORDS FROM amortize

am·or·tiz·a·ble, adjective non·am·or·tiz·a·ble, adjective un·am·or·tized, adjective

Words nearby amortize

amorphism, amorphous, amort, amort., amortization, amortize, amortizement, amory, amos, amosite, amoss' sign

British Dictionary definitions for amortize

amortize

amortise

/ (əˈmɔːtaɪz) /

verb (tr)

finance to liquidate (a debt, mortgage, etc) by instalment payments or by periodic transfers to a sinking fund
to write off (a wasting asset) by annual transfers to a sinking fund
property law (formerly) to transfer (lands, etc) in mortmain

Derived forms of amortize

amortizable or amortisable, adjective

Word Origin for amortize

C14: from Medieval Latin admortizāre, from Old French amortir to reduce to the point of death, ultimately from Latin ad to + mors death