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apprécier

Etymology and origin of the French word apprécier

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1391, Coutume d'Anjou et du Maine
Borrowed from
Latin appretio
Ultimate origin
Latin (pretium)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /a.pʁe.sje/[1]

Forms

apprécier[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin appretiō (“to value, appraise”), a word of Church Latin, from ad- and pretiō (“to value”), itself from pretium (“price”) (see prix).[2][3][4][5][6] Wiktionary calls it a semi-learned borrowing.[1] Old French had an inherited verb of the same origin, aprisier (about 1270), beside which priser continues the simple verb.[2][1]

Cognate with Old Occitan apreciar, Spanish apreciar and Italian apprezzare.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1391, in the Coutume d'Anjou et du Maine, meaning “to set a price on, value”.[5][3][2]

Semantic evolution

From valuing a price the verb widened to estimating a quantity approximately (1712), then to passing a critical judgment on something or someone (1740) and, last, to judging favourably (1793); Rey compares the parallel history of estimer.[2] In the classical language it could mean to put up for sale at auction: La Bruyère speaks of sacraments that seem to be priced.[5]

The noun appréciation (1389) was probably formed from the verb, despite a rare Late Latin model, and, from the early 19th century meant judging in general, favourable or not.[2][4] appréciable (1486) came to mean “perceptible” (1765) and then “fairly large”.[2]

Timeline

  • 1389 – The noun appréciation.[2]
  • 1391 – First record of the verb, “to set a price on”.[2][5]
  • 1486 – appréciable.[4][2]
  • 1712 – “To estimate a quantity”.[2]
  • 1740 – “To judge critically”.[2]
  • 1793 – “To value, esteem”.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (formal) To determine the price or value of; to appraise: l'expert a apprécié le mobilier.[8][5]
  2. To estimate roughly, by the senses or the mind: apprécier une distance.[8][9]
  3. To judge, assess the worth of a person or conduct.[5][8]
  4. To appreciate, like, think highly of.[1][8]

Word family

  • appréciable
  • appréciateur
  • appréciatif
  • appréciation

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 374a
  7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Apprécier.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/appr%C3%A9cier. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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