The word ‘mortgage’ means ‘death pledge.’

Summary

In French, the word 'mortgage' translates to 'death pledge', combining 'mort' (death) and 'gage' (pledge). The 'death' aspect signifies that the obligation ends when the property is either fully repaid or foreclosed, while the 'pledge' part represents the property serving as security for the loan. The word 'mortgage' comes from old French around 700 years ago.