Meanings
plural amortizations · alternative UK amortisation
- countableuncountableThe reduction of loan principal over a series of payments.
- countableuncountableThe distribution of the cost of an intangible asset, such as an intellectual property right, over the projected useful life of the asset.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe reduction of the value of an asset by prorating its cost over a period of years
nounpayment of an obligation in a series of installments or transfers
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinad-
- Vulgar Latin*admortire“to kill”
- Old Frenchamortir
- Anglo-Normanamorteser
- Middle Englishamortisen“to kill, alienate in mortmain”
- Englishamortization
From Middle English amortisen (“to kill, alienate in mortmain”), from Anglo-Norman amorteser, alteration of Old French amortir, from Vulgar Latin *admortire (“to kill”), from Latin ad- and mors, mortem (“death”).
More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian амортизация
- амортизация (amortizacija)process of distributing asset cost
Catalan amortització, amortització
- amortitzacióthe reduction of loan principal over a series of payments
- amortitzacióprocess of distributing asset cost
Chinese Mandarin 攤銷 /摊销
- 攤銷 /摊销 (tānxiāo)process of distributing asset cost
Dutch afschrijving, amortisatie
- afschrijvingthe reduction of loan principal over a series of payments
- amortisatiethe reduction of loan principal over a series of payments
Esperanto amortizo
- amortizoprocess of distributing asset cost
Finnish lyhennys, amortisointi
- lyhennysthe reduction of loan principal over a series of payments
- amortisointiprocess of distributing asset cost
- poistoprocess of distributing asset cost
French amortissement
- amortissementprocess of distributing asset cost
German Abschreibung
- Abschreibungprocess of distributing asset cost
Greek απόσβεση
- απόσβεση (apósvesi)process of distributing asset cost
Hungarian törlesztés, kölcsöntörlesztés
- törlesztésthe reduction of loan principal over a series of payments
- kölcsöntörlesztésthe reduction of loan principal over a series of payments
- amortizálásprocess of distributing asset cost
- leírásprocess of distributing asset cost
- amortizációprocess of distributing asset cost
Indonesian amortisasi
- amortisasithe reduction of loan principal over a series of payments
Irish amúchadh
- amúchadhprocess of distributing asset cost
Italian ammortamento
- ammortamentoprocess of distributing asset cost
Japanese 償却
- 償却 (shōkyaku)process of distributing asset cost
Korean 상각
- 상각 (sanggak)process of distributing asset cost
Malay pelunasan
- pelunasanthe reduction of loan principal over a series of payments
Portuguese amortização
- amortizaçãoprocess of distributing asset cost
Romanian amortizare
- amortizareprocess of distributing asset cost
Russian амортиза́ция
- амортиза́ция (amortizácija)process of distributing asset cost
Slovak amortizácia
- amortizáciaprocess of distributing asset cost
Spanish amortización
- amortizaciónprocess of distributing asset cost
Swedish avskrivning
- avskrivningprocess of distributing asset cost
Welsh amorteiddio, amorteiddiad
- amorteiddioprocess of distributing asset cost
- amorteiddiadprocess of distributing asset cost
Cite this entry
amortization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amortization
“amortization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amortization. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “amortization,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amortization.
Source: amortization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.