noun

mortgage

mortgage

They took out a 25-year mortgage to buy their house.

They took out a 25-year mortgage to buy their house.

We have to make monthly mortgage payments.

We have to make monthly mortgage payments.

((noun)) a loan to buy property They took out a large mortgage.

((on sth.)) a mortgage on a house We have a mortgage on our flat.

Synonyms: loan, debt, credit

From Old French 'mort gage', meaning 'dead pledge'. The pledge 'dies' either when the debt is paid or if payment fails.

Think 'mort' (death) + 'gage' (pledge). It's a pledge that is 'dead' once you've paid it off.

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