price

PRYS/pɹaɪs/

Pluralprices

Verbprices, pricing, priced

7 meanings of price

1
amount chargednouncountable or uncountable
The amount of money you pay to buy something.
Like the number on a tag that tells you what to pay.
The price of milk went up last week.
We compared prices at three different stores.
UsageSay a high price or a low price (not ~~incorrect: an expensive price~~), and the price of milk.
Similarcost, charge, rate, fee
2
set the costverbtransitive
To decide how much money something should cost.
Like putting a number tag on something so people know what to pay.
The store priced the shirts at twenty dollars each.
They need to price the new product before launch.
UsageUse at for the amount: priced at twenty dollars.
3
harm sufferednounusually singular
The trouble or loss that comes from doing something.
Like having to give up something to get something else.
Losing his free time was the price of his new job.
She paid a high price for ignoring the warning.
UsagePeople often say pay a price for something, or pay the price.
Similarcost, penalty, sacrifice, toll
Note
4
ask the costverbtransitive
To ask how much something costs.
Like checking the cost of things before you choose one.
She priced a few laptops before deciding.
Let's price some tents at the camping store.
Note

Less common meanings

5
worthnounliteraryuncountable
How much value or worth something or someone has.
Like calling something a treasure because it is worth so much.
To a lonely child, a kind teacher is beyond price.
Good health is beyond price, so take care of yourself.
UsageMostly in phrases like beyond price. In everyday English, say worth or value.
Similarvalue, worth
Note
6
verbobsoletetransitive
To value something, or decide what it is worth.
Note
7
verbobsoletetransitive
To suffer or pay for something bad you did.
Thou damned wight, / The author of this fact, we here behold, / What iustice can but iudge against thee right, / With thine owne bloud to price his bloud, here shed in sight.
1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, price means to pay for a wrong.
Note

Practice

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Origin

From an Old French word for price, going back to Latin pretium meaning worth or price.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Price comes from an Old French word meaning price. en.wiktionary.org
The Old French source goes back to Latin pretium. en.wiktionary.org
Latin pretium means worth or price. en.wiktionary.org