amortizement: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “amortizement” mean?
The action or process of gradually writing off an initial cost or repaying a debt over a period of time.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The action or process of gradually writing off an initial cost or repaying a debt over a period of time.
The gradual reduction or extinction of a debt, liability, or intangible asset through scheduled payments or accounting write-downs. Also refers to the depreciation of an intangible asset's value over its useful life.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties overwhelmingly prefer 'amortisation' (UK) and 'amortization' (US). 'Amortizement' is obsolete in both, though it might appear marginally more in historical UK legal documents.
Connotations
In modern contexts, using 'amortizement' connotes archaism, extreme formality, or a direct quotation from an old source. The modern forms ('amortisation'/'amortization') are neutral technical terms.
Frequency
Extremely low/negligible in contemporary usage for both varieties. The modern noun forms are standard.
Grammar
How to Use “amortizement” in a Sentence
amortizement of [NOUN PHRASE]amortizement over [PERIOD]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “amortizement” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The loan shall be amortised over twenty-five years.
- They planned to amortise the goodwill over a decade.
American English
- The loan will be amortized over twenty-five years.
- They planned to amortize the goodwill over a decade.
adverb
British English
- [Not used. 'Amortisably' is not a standard form.]
American English
- [Not used. 'Amortizably' is not a standard form.]
adjective
British English
- The amortisable amount was clearly stated.
- An amortisation schedule was provided.
American English
- The amortizable amount was clearly stated.
- An amortization schedule was provided.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Historical/archaic term for the process of spreading the cost of an intangible asset or paying off a loan.
Academic
Used in historical economic or legal studies to describe 18th/19th-century financial practices.
Everyday
Virtually never used. Modern speakers would use 'paying off' for loans.
Technical
Obsolete in modern technical writing. Superseded by 'amortisation'/'amortization' in accounting, finance, and law.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “amortizement”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “amortizement”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “amortizement”
- Using it in contemporary writing (use 'amortisation'/'amortization').
- Misspelling as 'amortisement' or 'amortizment'.
- Confusing it with 'depreciation', which, in modern strict usage, is for tangible assets.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is archaic. It was used historically (17th-19th centuries) with the same meaning as the modern 'amortisation'/'amortization'. It is not suitable for contemporary writing.
It marks your English as outdated or overly reliant on historical sources. In any modern business, academic, or legal context, the standard terms are 'amortisation' (UK) and 'amortization' (US).
No, historically it could refer to the gradual writing down of both debts and the value of intangible assets (like patents or goodwill), similar to the modern term.
You are likely reading a historical document or a very formal, possibly legal, text from an earlier era. You can safely understand it as a synonym for the modern process of amortization.
The action or process of gradually writing off an initial cost or repaying a debt over a period of time.
Amortizement is usually formal, technical in register.
Amortizement: in British English it is pronounced /əˈmɔːtɪzmənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /əˈmɔːrtɪzmənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idioms. The term itself is technical.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A MORTGAGE requires 'amortizEMENT' - it's the process of ending ('-ment') the debt through payments.
Conceptual Metaphor
DEBT/COST IS A MASS TO BE GROUND DOWN (from Old French 'amortir', to kill, extinguish).
Practice
Quiz
In modern professional English, which term has completely superseded 'amortizement'?