What does appraise mean?
"Appraise" is a verb meaning to assess the value, quality, or significance of something, often through careful, expert evaluation. It appears most frequently in professional settings: an appraiser might appraise a house, a piece of jewelry, or a work of art to determine its monetary worth, while a manager might appraise an employee's performance during a review. The word carries connotations of formality, expertise, and objectivity — it implies a considered judgment rather than a casual opinion. Though it can refer strictly to financial valuation, it is also used more broadly for critical assessment of people, ideas, or situations. A common pitfall is confusing "appraise" with the similar-sounding "apprise," which means to inform. Derived forms include "appraisal" (the act or result of appraising) and "appraiser" (one who appraises). Etymologically, "appraise" traces back through Old French to Late Latin "appretiare," from "pretium" (price), making it a distant relative of words like "price" and "appreciate."
verbTo assess the value, quality, or nature of something or someone, especially in an official or expert capacity.
- To officially assess the monetary value of something, typically as an expert (e.g., appraising jewelry or property).
- To evaluate or judge the quality, worth, or nature of something or someone more generally.
"An independent expert was brought in to appraise the painting before the auction."
"The jeweler carefully appraised the diamond before offering a price."
"Her manager took time to appraise her performance over the past year."
Despite its polished sound, "appraise" shares its roots with the humble word "price" — both trace back to Latin "pretium," meaning value.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of appraise
"Appraise" entered English in the late Middle Ages, borrowed from Old French "aprisier" (later "estimer"), which itself derived from Late Latin "appretiare," meaning "to set a price on." The root is Latin "pretium," meaning price or value, which also gives us "price," "precious," "appreciate," and "praise." The word has carried its core sense of assigning value since its earliest recorded use in English, with the spelling gradually stabilizing into its modern form by the early modern period.
Related word forms
How appraise is actually used
Formal to neutral register; common in professional contexts such as real estate, insurance, HR performance reviews, and art valuation. The verb is transitive and usually takes a direct object. In British English, "appraise" is also used in staff appraisal contexts.
Easily confused with appraise
"Appraise" means to assess value or quality, while "apprise" means to inform or notify someone.