Amortize Definition

ămər-tīz, ə-môr-
amortized, amortizes, amortizing
verb
amortized, amortizes, amortizing
To liquidate (a debt, such as a mortgage) by installment payments or payment into a sinking fund.
American Heritage
To put money aside at intervals, as in a sinking fund, for gradual payment of (a debt, etc.) either at or before maturity.
Webster's New World
To write off an expenditure for (an asset, especially an intangible one, such as a patent) by prorating over a certain period, usually the expected duration of the asset's benefit.
American Heritage
To write off (expenditures) by prorating over a fixed period.
Webster's New World
To reduce, transfer, or sell (property) in mortmain.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:

Origin of Amortize

  • Middle English amortisen to alienate in mortmain from Old French amortir amortiss- from Vulgar Latin admortīre to deaden Latin ad- ad- Latin mors mort- death mer- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From (the stem of) Middle French amortir (“to bring to death”), probably from Late Latin *admortīre, from Latin ad + mortem.

    From Wiktionary

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