/am'euhr tuyz"meuhnt, euh mawr"tiz-/ , n.
1. a sloping top on a buttress, pillar, etc.
2. an architectural feature, as a gable, at the top of a façade.
3. amortization.
Also, amortissement /euh mawr"tiz meuhnt/ .
[ 1610-20; AMORTIZE + -MENT, after MF or AF amortissement ]