Main Entry:

¹es·ti·mate

Pronunciation:

\ˈes-tə-ˌmāt\

Function:

transitive verb

Inflected Form(s):

es·ti·mat·ed; es·ti·mat·ing

Etymology:

Latin aestimatus, past participle of aestimare to value, estimate

Date:

circa 1532

1archaic a: esteem b: appraise2 a: to judge tentatively or approximately the value, worth, or significance of b: to determine roughly the size, extent, or nature of c: to produce a statement of the approximate cost of3: judge, conclude

— es·ti·ma·tive \-ˌmā-tiv\ adjective

synonyms estimate, appraise, evaluate, value, rate, assess mean to judge something with respect to its worth or significance. estimate implies a judgment, considered or casual, that precedes or takes the place of actual measuring or counting or testing out <estimated the crowd at two hundred>. appraise commonly implies the fixing by an expert of the monetary worth of a thing, but it may be used of any critical judgment <having their house appraised>. evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary <evaluate a student's work>. value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment <a watercolor valued by the donor at $500>. rate adds to estimate the notion of placing a thing according to a scale of values <a highly rated restaurant>. assess implies a critical appraisal for the purpose of understanding or interpreting, or as a guide in taking action <officials are trying to assess the damage>.