appreciate

Pronunciation

• IPA: /əˈpriː.ʃi.eɪt/^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin appretiāre (“to set a price on, appraise”), through the past participle appretiātus,^[2][3][4] from ad- (“to”) and pretium (“price”).^[2][3] Merriam-Webster also points to Medieval Latin appretiare “to value, esteem”.^[5] It is related to appraise, price and precious, and French apprécier.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

To esteem or value highly: 1655 in the OED and Barnhart,^[6][3] the 1650s in Etymonline.^[2] The New Oxford dates the word to the mid 16th century.^[7]

Semantic evolution

“To estimate the worth of” is from 1769,^[6] and “to estimate rightly, perceive the full force of” from 1798.^[6] “To be sensitive to a delicate distinction” is from 1833.^[6][2] The financial senses arose in the United States in the 18th century:^[4] to raise in value from 1779, opposed to depreciate, and the intransitive “to rise in value” from 1789–96.^[6][2] The noun appreciation is older, probably from about 1400, in Wycliffe's works.^[3]

Timeline

• 1655 – to esteem highly.^[6][3]
• 1769 – to estimate the worth of.^[6]
• 1779 – to raise in value.^[6]
• 1787 – to rise in value.^[2]
• 1798 – to perceive fully.^[6]
• 1833 – to be sensitive to a fine distinction.^[6][2]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To recognise the quality or significance of.
2. To be fully aware of; to realise.
3. To be grateful for.
4. To value highly; to admire.
5. To increase in value, especially over time.

Word family

• appreciator
• appreciatory
• appreciatingly

Related words

• appraise
• appreciation
• appreciative
• precious
• price
• depreciate
• praise

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
4. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press