amortize

Where does the word "amortize" come from? It comes from Latin mors, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

Amortize’s story begins in Latin: mors meant “death.” Death, combined with ad- (to) to form a verb meaning to deaden or kill off. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as amortir. From 'mort', death, like 'mortgage', a 'dead pledge'. It reached English by 1400s as amortize. Settled as the English word for gradually paying off a debt over time. Today, amortize means to gradually pay off a debt through regular installments over time.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient mors "death", death, combined with ad- (to) to form a verb meaning to deaden or kill off.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval amortir "to deaden, to gradually pay off a debt", from 'mort', death, like 'mortgage', a 'dead pledge'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s amortize "to gradually pay off a debt over time", settled as the English word for gradually paying off a debt over time.