non-amortizing
|non-am-or-ti-zing|
🇺🇸
/nɑn-əˈmɔrtaɪzɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/nɒn-əˈmɔːtəzaɪɪŋ/
(amortize)
gradual reduction
Etymology
'non-amortizing' is formed from the prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not') plus the present-participle form of 'amortize.' 'Amortize' originates from Old French 'amortir' and ultimately from Late Latin 'admortire,' where the elements 'ad-' meant 'to' and 'mortire' (related to 'mort-') meant 'to die, kill'.
'admortire' (Late Latin) became Old French 'amortir' (to deaden, kill), entered Middle English in senses like 'to extinguish,' and developed into modern English 'amortize' with the financial sense 'to extinguish (a debt) by payments.' The modern compound 'non-amortizing' is a contemporary formation using the English prefix 'non-'.
Initially the root meant 'to kill' or 'to deaden'; over time the sense shifted metaphorically to 'extinguish' (a debt). In modern financial usage it means 'to pay off gradually,' and 'non-amortizing' now means 'not being paid off gradually.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not amortizing; (of a loan or debt) not being paid down by periodic principal repayments — typically interest-only or with principal due at maturity.
The company obtained a non-amortizing loan to preserve cash flow, meaning only interest payments were due until maturity.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/04 03:56