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value

n. · v.
US //ˈvæɫju// UK //vˈæljuː// val·ue
  1. 1 worth or price (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the amount of money something is worth, or how useful it is.

    the material or monetary worth of an item; the quality that renders something desirable or useful.

    Example

    The market value of the house has increased significantly over the last five years.

    Example

    The appraiser struggled to determine the exact market value of the antique, given its unique provenance and the lack of comparable sales.
    • worthlessness
  2. 2 personal beliefs (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the principles or standards that you think are important in life.

    the moral principles and beliefs or accepted standards of a person or social group.

    Example

    The school aims to teach children traditional values like honesty and respect.

    Example

    The company's core values are reflected in its commitment to environmental sustainability and ethical sourcing across all departments.

    Usage

    Usually used in the plural form 'values'.
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  1. 3 mathematical quantity (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Math

    a number or amount that is found by measuring or calculating.

    a numerical quantity or other mathematical object assigned to or calculated for a variable or constant.

    Example

    You need to find the value of x in this equation to solve the problem.

    Example

    The algorithm calculates the optimal value for the parameters by iteratively reducing the margin of error in the dataset.
  2. 4 color darkness (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Art

    how light or dark a color is in a painting or photograph.

    the relative lightness or darkness of a color, also known as tone or luminosity.

    Example

    The artist used different values of blue to create a sense of depth in the ocean.

    Example

    By manipulating the values of the background, the painter successfully directed the viewer's eye toward the brightly lit central figure.
  3. 5 to appreciate (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to think that someone or something is important or useful.

    to regard someone or something as being of great worth or importance.

    Example

    I really value your advice because you have so much experience.

    Example

    The organization values diversity and actively seeks to recruit employees from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.
  4. 6 to estimate worth (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to decide how much money something is worth.

    to estimate the monetary worth of an item or property.

    Example

    The jewelry was valued at over five thousand dollars for insurance purposes.

    Example

    Independent experts were brought in to value the company's assets before the merger could be finalized.

    Usage

    Often used in the passive voice.
Origin

From Middle English valew, value, from Old French value, feminine past participle of valoir, from Latin valēre (“be strong, be worth”), from Proto-Italic walēō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”).

Word family
Idioms3 entries

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