v.
Pronunciation: ' a-m ə r- ˌ t ī z also ə - ' mo ̇ r-
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form: -tized ; -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 \ - ˌ t ī -z ə -b ə l \ adjective