Etymologically
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appreciate

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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
  • 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