What does estimable mean?
Estimable is a formal adjective describing someone or something that deserves respect and admiration. A person may be an estimable scholar, an estimable opponent, or an estimable public servant; their efforts may constitute an estimable contribution. The word derives from Latin aestimare, meaning to value or appraise, making it a sibling of both esteem and estimate — to call someone estimable is, in essence, to say they are worthy of being highly valued. It appears most often in written and formal spoken English, such as obituaries, reviews, citations, and speeches, where it lends praise a dignified, slightly old-fashioned gravity. A secondary, now largely literary sense means considerable in size or degree, as in 'an estimable fortune.' Because it sounds similar to inestimable, which means beyond measure, writers should take care not to conflate the two. For anyone seeking a polished way to express earned respect, estimable remains a precise and graceful choice.
Deserving of respect and admiration; worthy of esteem.
"Longfellow described him as an estimable man of unimpeachable integrity."
Most common in formal writing and speech.
(Literary, now somewhat dated) Considerable in size, amount, or extent.
"The venture required an estimable sum of capital."
Largely confined to literary or historical usage.
When you call someone estimable, you're literally saying they're 'prizable' — it shares its Latin root with both esteem and estimate.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of estimable
Estimable comes from Latin aestimabilis, meaning 'capable of being valued,' from the verb aestimare, 'to value, appraise, or estimate.' English borrowed the word via French estimable in the late sixteenth century. It belongs to a family of English words descended from the same Latin verb, including esteem, estimate, and estimation; the negative derivative inestimable arose alongside it. Its core sense has remained stable since adoption, though its quantitative meaning has gradually receded behind the dominant sense of 'deserving esteem.'
Related word forms
How estimable is actually used
Estimable is a formal, often complimentary term typically used of people and their achievements rather than objects. It carries a tone of measured, dignified praise — warmer than merely 'good' but more restrained than effusive words like 'magnificent'. The quantitative sense ('considerable in size') survives mainly in literary or older writing.
Easily confused with estimable
Inestimable means too great or valuable to be measured or calculated, while estimable means worthy of respect and admiration.