ap·pre·ci·ate\əˈprēshēˌāt
sometimes -rishē-
rarely -rēsē-,
usu -ād.+V\
verb(
-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Medieval Latin & Late Latin; Medieval Latin
appretiatus (past participle of
appretiare to value, esteem), from Late Latin, past participle of
appretiare to appraise, put a price on, from Latin
ad- + pretium price, value — more at
price
transitive verb1. a. (1) : to evaluate highly or approve warmly often with expressions or tokens of liking
< to be loved, to be appreciated, to be admired and highly valued — Theodor Reik > (2) : to judge or evaluate the worth, merit, quality, or significance of
: comprehend with knowledge, judgment, and discrimination
< incapable of appreciating the difference between right and wrong — B.N.Cardozo > < appreciated that a new era was beginning — David Fairchild > < my power of appreciating your many charms and my desire that you should become my wife — Samuel Butler †1902 > b. : to judge with heightened perception or understanding:
(1) : to be critically and emotionally aware of delicate subtle aesthetic or artistic values
< he could not appreciate artistic quality > (2) : to be fully sensible of often through or as if through personal experience
< must be experienced to be appreciated — Rudyard Kipling > c. : to esteem highly and express thanks or gratitude for
< I appreciate your kindness but I should be much happier alone — Louis Bromfield >2. : to raise the value of
: increase the market price of
< from 1820 onwards gold was mainly appreciated — J.A.Todd >— opposed to
depreciateintransitive verb: to rise in value or quantity
< apples appreciated 2 to 5 cents per box — Wall Street Journal > < the calving and lambing season is good and numbers greatly appreciate — James Stevenson-Hamilton >Synonyms: value
,
prize
,
treasure
,
cherish
:
appreciate
connotes recognition of worth or merit through wise judgment, analytical perception, and keen insight
< the author appreciates the historical development of the Roman law and the character of its various sources — H.O.Taylor > < he liked to be near people and have his talent as a whittler appreciated — Sherwood Anderson > It is rarely used without these notions, although in less precise use it may carry added notions of warm hearty approval or full or delicate enjoyment
< attach herself to someone who knew how to appreciate the fullness of her ardor — Morley Callaghan > < youth appreciates that sort of recognition which is the subtlest form of flattery age can offer — Joseph Conrad > In this series
value
is less rich in suggestion than the others. It may suggest judgment blending the analytic and the subjective
< she only valued rest to herself when it came in the midst of other people's labor — Thomas Hardy > < suddenly Gard was smitten by the tragedy of plain women; to be valued, but not loved — Mary Austin > prize
stresses high evaluation, often subjective; it may suggest a sense of pride in acquisition or possession and reluctance to lose or be deprived of the thing in question
< his grandfather's two prized standing cups — T.B.Costain > < we had prized our solitude when we had to fight for it — Virginia D. Dawson & Betty D. Wilson > < what is freedom and why is it prized? — John Dewey > treasure
, used with things considered or felt to be of extreme value, stresses notions of storing or of jealous guarding against loss or theft, notions of cleaving to and preserving
< that the volumes I write will be treasured up with the utmost care for ages — William Cowper > < ecstatic moments for him, to be treasured and conned over — T.B.Costain > < if … I have your friendship, I shall treasure it — Edna S.V.Millay > cherish
, rich in affective suggestion, adds the idea of deep-seated, perhaps tacit affection or intimate fond reflection on
< he cherished a painfully nostalgic memory of his childhood sweetheart — Saxe Commins > < troubled by the conflict of many ideas in his fruitful mind, and ardently cherishing those he thought true and good — Carl Van Doren > < cherish their allegiance to Christ in solitude and silence — Katharine F. Gerould >Synonym: see in addition understand
.