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value

/ˈvæl.juː/ (Received-Pronunciation)/ˈval.jʉw/ (British, Southern, Standard)/ˈvæl.ju/ (Canada, US)syllables: val·ue
  • noun
  • verb
  • from Old French

The quality that renders something desirable or valuable; worth.

▶ Play the mastery game

1 All current definitions

Every sense of “value” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

noun

  1. countableuncountableThe quality that renders something desirable or valuable; worth.

    There is tremendous value in a good education.

  2. uncountableThe degree of importance given to something.

    The value of my children's happiness is second only to that of my wife.

  3. countableoftenpluraluncountableThat which is valued or highly esteemed, such as one's morals, morality, or belief system.

    He does not share his parents' values.

  4. countableuncountableThe amount (of money or goods or services) that is considered to be a fair equivalent for something else.

    The value of the stolen painting is estimated to be around four million pounds.

  5. countableuncountableThe relative duration of a musical note.

    The value of a crotchet is twice that of a quaver.

  6. countableuncountableThe relative darkness or lightness of a color in (a specific area of) a painting etc.

    When pigments of equal value are mixed together, the resulting color will be a darker value. This is the result of subtraction.2006, Edith Anderson Feisner, Colour: How to Use Colour in Art and Design:

  7. countableuncountableAny definite numerical quantity or other mathematical object, determined by being measured, computed, or otherwise defined.

    The exact value of pi cannot be represented in decimal notation.

  8. countableuncountablePrecise meaning; import.

    the value of a word; the value of a legal instrument

  9. countablein pluraluncountableThe valuable ingredients to be obtained by treating a mass or compound; specifically, the precious metals contained in rock, gravel, etc.

    The vein carries good values.

Older & obsolete senses (2)
  1. countableobsoleteuncountableEsteem; regard.
  2. countableobsoleteuncountableValour.
Wiktionary: “value” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

verb

  1. To determine or estimate the value of; to judge the worth of.

    I will have the family jewels valued by a professional.

  2. To regard highly; think much of; place importance upon.

    Gold was valued highly among the Romans.

  3. To hold dear; to cherish.

    I value these old photographs.

Wiktionary: “value” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (11)
  1. nouna numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed
  2. nounthe quality (positive or negative) that renders something desirable or valuable
  3. nounthe amount (of money or goods or services) that is considered to be a fair equivalent for something else — also: economic value
  4. nounrelative darkness or lightness of a color; -Joe Hing Lowe
  5. noun(music) the relative duration of a musical note — also: time value, note value
  6. nounan ideal accepted by some individual or group
  7. verbfix or determine the value of; assign a value to
  8. verbhold dear — also: prize, treasure, appreciate
  9. verbregard highly; think much of — also: respect, esteem, prize, prise
  10. verbevaluate or estimate the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance of — also: measure, evaluate, valuate, assess, appraise
  11. verbestimate the value of — also: rate
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

Synonyms: valence, value, worth

Wiktionary: “value” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)value
  2. Middle Englishvalew
  3. Old Frenchvalue
  4. Latinvalēre “be strong, be worth”
  5. Proto-Italic*walēō
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂welh₁- “to be strong”

From Middle English valew, value, from Old French value, feminine past participle of valoir, from Latin valēre (“be strong, be worth”), from Proto-Italic *walēō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”).

Wiktionary: “value” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “value”

call-by-valueC-valuedevaluedisvalueD-valueeigenvalueequivalueface-valuef-valuehigh-valuehypervalueisovaluekey-valuek-valuelow-valuemetavaluemultivaluenonvaluepass-by-valuepseudovaluep-valueQ-valuer-valuesemivaluesubvalueunvalueupvalueU-valuevaluablevalueablevalue-addedvalue-addvalue-formvalue-freevaluefulvalue-ladenvaluelessvaluenessvalue-neutralcountervalue

Phrases & compounds

absolute valueaccept at face valueacid valueactual cash valueadd valueadd value machineaged R-valueand nothing of value was lostarticle of extraordinary valuebook valuecall by valuecall valuecalorific valuecapital valuecash valuecharacteristic valuecustoms valueC-value paradoxdiminished valuedividend value trap

Related terms

valuableworthlessesteemcherishappreciaterespectreverepriceuseutilityinstrumentalitybenefitprofitfertilityproductivityyieldqualityexcellencescarcitydemand
Wiktionary: “value” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “value” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “value” came from before it was English.

Came into English from
Old French
Old French value
Oldest written form
Latin
Latin valēre “be strong, be worth”
Deepest root (reconstructed)
Proto-Indo-European
Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- “to be strong”
Wiktionary: “value” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European root
“to be strong”
Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- — rebuilt by linguists from its descendants; never written down.
Wiktionary: “value” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

value n. [OF. value, fr. valoir, p. p. valu, to be worth, fr. L. valere to be strong, to be worth. See Valiant.]

  1. The property or aggregate properties of a thing by which it is rendered useful or desirable, or the degree of such property or sum of properties; worth; excellence; utility; importance.
  2. Worth estimated by any standard of purchasing power, especially by the market price, or the amount of money agreed upon as an equivalent to the utility and cost of anything.
  3. Precise signification; import; as, the value of a word; the value of a legal instrument
  4. Esteem; regard.

value v. t.

  1. To estimate the value, or worth, of; to rate at a certain price; to appraise; to reckon with respect to number, power, importance, etc.
  2. To rate highly; to have in high esteem; to hold in respect and estimation; to appreciate; to prize; as, to value one for his works or his virtues.
  3. To raise to estimation; to cause to have value, either real or apparent; to enhance in value.
  4. To be worth; to be equal to in value.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

nounMeaning: The quality that renders something desirable or valuable; worth.

There is tremendous value in a good education.

An abacus is of little value when you have an electronic calculator.

nounMeaning: The degree of importance given to something.

The value of my children's happiness is second only to that of my wife.

nounMeaning: That which is valued or highly esteemed, such as one's morals, morality, or belief system.

He does not share his parents' values.

family values

nounMeaning: The amount (of money or goods or services) that is considered to be a fair equivalent for something else.

The value of the stolen painting is estimated to be around four million pounds.

An article may be possessed of the highest degree of utility, or power to minister to our wants and enjoyments, and may be universally made use of, without possessing exchangeable value.1825, John Ramsay McCulloch, Principles of Political Economy:

nounMeaning: The relative duration of a musical note.

The value of a crotchet is twice that of a quaver.

nounMeaning: The relative darkness or lightness of a color in (a specific area of) a painting etc.

When pigments of equal value are mixed together, the resulting color will be a darker value. This is the result of subtraction.2006, Edith Anderson Feisner, Colour: How to Use Colour in Art and Design:

Shadows and light move very quickly when you are painting on location. Use Cobalt Blue to quickly establish the painting's values.2010, Rose Edin, Dee Jepsen, Color Harmonies: Paint Watercolors Filled with Light:

nounMeaning: a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed

the value assigned was 16 milliseconds

nounMeaning: the quality (positive or negative) that renders something desirable or valuable

the Shakespearean Shylock is of dubious value in the modern world

nounMeaning: the amount (of money or goods or services) that is considered to be a fair equivalent for something else

he tried to estimate the value of the produce at normal prices

nounMeaning: relative darkness or lightness of a color; -Joe Hing Lowe

I establish the colors and principal values by organizing the painting into three values--dark, medium...and light

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “value” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 10

Say it, then spell it

value

/ˈvæl.juː/ · val·ue

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

value

/ˈvæl.juː/ · val·ue · noun, verb

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “value” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (noun) The quality that renders something desirable or valuable; worth.
2. (noun) The degree of importance given to something.
3. (noun) That which is valued or highly esteemed, such as one's morals, morality, or belief system.
4. (noun) The amount (of money or goods or services) that is considered to be a fair equivalent for something else.
5. (noun) The relative duration of a musical note.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“There is tremendous value in a good education.”

A. That which is valued or highly esteemed, such as one's morals, morality, or belief system.
B. The relative darkness or lightness of a color in (a specific area of) a painting etc.
C. The quality that renders something desirable or valuable; worth.

Circle the meaning used.

“The value of my children's happiness is second only to that of my wife.”

A. The degree of importance given to something.
B. The relative duration of a musical note.
C. That which is valued or highly esteemed, such as one's morals, morality, or belief system.

Circle the meaning used.

“He does not share his parents' values.”

A. The degree of importance given to something.
B. That which is valued or highly esteemed, such as one's morals, morality, or belief system.
C. The relative duration of a musical note.

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “value” come into English from?   A. Old French  B. Latin  C. Ancient Greek  D. Anglo-Norman

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “value” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

The earliest traceable form is Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁-. What did it mean?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “value” to mean: The quality that renders something desirable or valuable; worth.
Write a sentence using “value” to mean: The degree of importance given to something.
Write a sentence using “value” to mean: That which is valued or highly esteemed, such as one's morals, morality, or belief system.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — value

Which meaning, sentence 1: C. The quality that renders something desirable or valuable; worth.

Which meaning, sentence 2: A. The degree of importance given to something.

Which meaning, sentence 3: B. That which is valued or highly esteemed, such as one's morals, morality, or belief system.

Origin: A. Old French (Old French value)

Journey: English value ← Middle English valew ← Old French value ← Latin valēre ← Proto-Italic *walēō ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁-

Some derivatives: call-by-value, C-value, devalue, disvalue, D-value, eigenvalue, equivalue, face-value

Original meaning: Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- — “to be strong”

Etymology: From Middle English valew, value, from Old French value, feminine past participle of valoir, from Latin valēre (“be strong, be worth”), from Proto-Italic *walēō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”).

Sources: Wiktionary “value” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/value#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/value