appreciation

American  

[uh-pree-shee-ey-shuhn] / əˌpri ʃiˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. gratitude; thankful recognition.

   They showed their appreciation by giving him a gold watch.

2. the act of estimating the qualities of things and giving them their proper value.

3. clear perception or recognition, especially of aesthetic quality.

   a course in art appreciation.

4. an increase or rise in the value of property, goods, etc.

5. critical notice; evaluation; opinion, as of a situation, person, etc.

6. a critique or written evaluation, especially when favorable.

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appreciation British  

/ -sɪ-, əˌpriːʃɪˈeɪʃən /

noun

1. thanks or gratitude

2. assessment of the true worth or value of persons or things

3. perceptive recognition of qualities, as in art

4. an increase in value, as of goods or property

5. a written review of a book, etc, esp when favourable

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Other Word Forms

• appreciational
  adjective
• nonappreciation
  noun
• overappreciation
  noun
• self-appreciation
  noun
• superappreciation
  noun
• unappreciation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of appreciation

First recorded in 1600–10; earlier appretiation, from French appréciation, from Late Latin appretiātiō “appraisal, valuation”; equivalent to appreciate + -ion

Explanation

When you have an appreciation for something, you can see and truly understand its good qualities. One way to show your appreciation for a particularly wonderful musical performance is to give a standing ovation when it's over. A slightly different kind of appreciation is having good taste or the ability to see aesthetic beauty in something, like members of a wine appreciation group or the teacher of a music appreciation class. There's also the appreciation that means a rise in monetary value — you might refer to the appreciation of the value of a house, for example.

Example Sentences

Sandisk’s products played into a more volatile market landscape, but were perhaps not getting the investor appreciation they deserved while part of a diversified company.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

Along the way, the filing said, Allen recorded his appreciation for the changing landscapes, for example writing on his phone that Pennsylvania's woods resembled "vast fairy lands filled with tiny trickling creeks."

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

And my values, our values, democratic values, should dictate that our love for you and appreciation for your rights should be the same.

From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026

The crowd of more than 100 tourists and locals watching from Pier 39 let out a cry mixed with both awe and appreciation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

The appreciation of drawings as works of art dates from the Renaissance, when the artist’s creative genius first came to be valued and paper began to be made in quantity.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

Related Words

• admiration
• affection
• awareness
• commendation
• enjoyment
• esteem
• knowledge
• love
• perception
• realization
• recognition
• respect
• sensitivity
• sympathy
• understanding