Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

amortization

American  
[am-er-tuh-zey-shuhn, uh-mawr-] / ˌæm ər təˈzeɪ ʃən, əˌmɔr- /

noun

  1. an act or instance of amortizing a debt or other obligation.

  2. the sums devoted to this purpose.

amortization British  
/ əˈmɔːtɪzmənt, əˌmɔːtaɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

    1. the process of amortizing a debt

    2. the money devoted to amortizing a debt

  2. (in computing the redemption yield on a bond purchased at a premium) the amount that is subtracted from the annual yield Compare accumulation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
amortization Cultural  

  1. A term that refers either to the gradual paying off of a debt in regular installments over a period of time or to the depreciation of the “book value” (that is, the standard assessed value) of an asset over a period of time.

Other Word Forms

  • amortizement noun

Etymology

Origin of amortization

First recorded in 1665–75, amortization is from the Medieval Latin word a(d)mortizātiōn- (stem of admortizātiō ). See amortize, -ation

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, or Ebitda, profit margins could be as high as 50%.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The company brought in an estimated $15 billion of revenue in 2025 and $7.5 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, according to PitchBook.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

In February, it reported an adjusted loss before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of $101 million for last year, and it forecast an adjusted loss of as much as $27 million for the current quarter.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

SpaceX’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, or Ebitda, profit margins might be as high as 50%.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

The purpose of these calculations does not lie in the application of amortization to administrative finance.

From Principles of Mining Valuation, Organization and Administration by Hoover, Herbert

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.