am|or|tize

am|or|tize «AM uhr tyz, uh MR-», transitive verb, -tized, -tiz|ing.

1. to set money aside regularly in a special fund to accumulate at interest, for future paying or settling of (a debt or other liability).

2. Law. to convey (property) to a body, especially an ecclesiastical body, which does not have the right to sell or give it away, as in mortmain.

╂[< Old French amortiss-, stem of amortir deaden < a- to + mortdeath < Latin mors, mortis]

–am´or|tiz´a|ble, adjective.

–am´or|ti|za´tion, noun.

–a|mor´tize|ment, noun.