asset-management
UK[ˈæset ˈmænɪdʒmənt]US[ˈæset ˈmænɪdʒmənt]
n
The professional management of various securities and assets (such as stocks, bonds, and real estate) to meet specified investment goals for the benefit of clients.
n
The business or service of providing such management.
Morpheme Breakdown
asset
manage
ment
asset
property
manage
control
ment
noun suffix
Etymology
The term 'asset-management' is a modern compound built from established English words. 'Asset' originates from a legal Anglo-French phrase meaning "enough to settle debts," evolving to signify any valuable property or resource. 'Manage' traces back to the Latin word for 'hand' (manus), reflecting direct handling or control. The suffix '-ment' converts the action into a noun denoting the process or business. Thus, the literal "handling of valuable property" logically evolved into the professional financial service of overseeing investment portfolios on behalf of others.
Analysis
Structure: asset (property) + manage (control) + ment (noun suffix)
- asset: From Anglo-French asetz (enough), from Vulgar Latin ad satis (to sufficiency). In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning a useful or valuable thing, especially property owned.
- manage: From Italian maneggiare (to handle, train horses), from Latin manus (hand). In this compound, it functions as a verb root meaning to control or administer.
- ment: From Latin -mentum, a suffix forming nouns that denote an action, process, or resulting state.
Examples
She works in asset-management for a large pension fund.
The firm offers a full range of asset-management services to institutional investors.
Technological advances have transformed the asset-management industry.