- 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
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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>.
