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sous-évaluer

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Etymology and origin of the French word sous-évaluer

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1856 Baudelaire, Histoires extraordinaires More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
French sous-,é-,value,-er
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French évaluer
English evaluate
French sous-évaluer
From the same root
French évaluation ← évaluer

Pronunciation

  • [suzevalɥe][1]

Forms

sous-évaluer[2]

Etymology

It is formed from French sous- + évaluer.[3][1][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1856 in Baudelaire's translation of Poe, the Histoires extraordinaires: Nous avions singulièrement sous-évalué le trésor (“We had greatly underestimated the treasure”).[3][4][5]

Semantic evolution

From its first use of a sum or quantity rated below its real worth, the verb came to be used of abstract things, such as the importance of an idea, and of persons, in the sense “to underrate”.[3][4] In economics it is said of goods, costs and currencies valued below their market value.[5][6] Its opposite is surévaluer, and it is close in meaning to sous-estimer and minimiser.[3][4][5]

Timeline

  • 1856 – First recorded in Baudelaire's Histoires extraordinaires.[3][4]
  • 1886 – Villiers de l'Isle-Adam uses it of expected earnings in a letter.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To underestimate the value of something; to value it below its real or market worth: sous-évaluer le prix d'un terrain, un euro sous-évalué.[5][6][7]
  2. To underrate a person or an abstract thing: sous-évaluer une rivale, sous-évaluer l'importance d'une découverte.[3][4]

References

  1. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  2. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  3. ^ a b c d e f g 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
  4. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  7. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Sous-évaluer.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/sous-%C3%A9valuer. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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