# value

Pronunciation: say "VAL-yoo" /ˈvæl.juː/

## Noun

1. The importance, worth, or usefulness of something, or the degree of importance someone gives to it.
   - Simple: How important, useful, or worthwhile something is, or how much someone thinks it matters.
   - _Critics praised the artistic value of her early films._
   - _The true value of friendship becomes clear in hard times._
2. The amount of money, goods, or services regarded as a fair equivalent for something else.
   - Simple: The amount of money or goods that something is fairly worth in a trade.
   - _The dealer assessed the value of the painting before the auction._
   - _Collectors disagree about the market value of these vintage coins._
3. Something held in high esteem, such as a person's morals or guiding beliefs.
   - Simple: A belief about what is right and important that guides how someone lives.
   - _Respect for elders remains a deeply held value in many communities._
   - _The company lists integrity as its guiding value._
4. A definite numerical quantity or other mathematical object, found by measuring, computing, or defining it.
   - Simple: A number or amount found by measuring or working something out.
   - _Substitute the measured value into the formula to find the result._
   - _Each cell in the spreadsheet holds a numerical value._
7. The relative lightness or darkness of a color in a given area of a painting or other artwork.
   - Simple: How light or dark a color looks in a painting.
   - _By lowering the value in the background, she pushed it deeper into the scene._
   - _The painting relies on sharp contrasts in value rather than bright colors._
8. How long a musical note lasts relative to other notes in the rhythm.
   - Simple: How long a musical note is held compared to other notes.
   - _A half note has twice the value of a quarter note, so hold it for two beats._
   - _In this passage, the dot changes the value of the second note._
9. The precise meaning or import of something, such as a word or symbol.
   - Simple: The exact meaning of a word or sign.
   - _Linguists study how the value of a word shifts across contexts._
   - _The emotional value of that single word changed the whole letter._

## Verb

5. To regard someone or something as important, worthwhile, or dear to oneself.
   - Simple: To consider someone or something important, useful, or dear to you.
   - _Employers value workers who show up on time and stay focused._
   - _She has always valued loyalty above every other quality._
6. To determine or estimate the worth of something; to judge how much it is worth.
   - Simple: To work out how much something is worth.
   - _The surveyor valued the property at half a million dollars._
   - _Auctioneers must value each item before the sale begins._

## Noun

10. The esteem or high regard in which a person is held by others. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Respect or a high opinion felt toward a person.
11. Courage or bravery, especially when displayed in combat. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Bravery and courage, especially when shown in battle.

## Other meanings

- (noun) The worthwhile material that can be recovered by processing an ore or other mass, especially the precious metal in rock or gravel.

## Origin

Old French value was the feminine past participle of valoir, a verb from Latin valēre ("to be strong, to be worth"), and English took it over as Middle English value. The Latin verb goes back through Proto-Italic to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to be strong".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/value (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).