amortize
Say it: uh-MOR-tize /ˈæmɚtaɪz/ · verb
What “amortize” means
Pay off a debt through regular payments over time.
More precisely: To pay off a debt gradually, or spread a cost over a period of time.
When to use it
In accounting or loan discussions, when spreading repayment or a cost across time. It sounds technical and formal.
It can also mean
In accounting, it also means spreading a cost over a period of time.
Similar words
pay off, spread out, write down
Where it comes from
From Old French amortir, "to deaden, extinguish."
Quick check
Your business repays a loan through monthly instalments until the balance reaches zero. What do those payments gradually do?
refinance or amortize?
Show the answer
amortize
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