Main Entry:

am·or·tize

Pronunciation:

\ˈa-mər-ˌtīz also ə-ˈmȯr-\

Function:

transitive verb

Inflected Form(s):

am·or·tized; am·or·tiz·ing

Etymology:

Middle English amortisen to kill, alienate in mortmain, from Anglo-French amorteser, alteration of amortir, from Vulgar Latin *admortire to kill, from Latin ad- + mort-, mors death — more at murder

Date:

1867

1 : to pay off (as a mortgage) gradually usually by periodic payments of principal and interest or by payments to a sinking fund 2 : to gradually reduce or write off the cost or value of (as an asset) <amortize goodwill> <amortize machinery>

— am·or·tiz·able \-ˌtī-zə-bəl\ adjective