asset

[as-et]

noun

1. a useful and desirable thing or quality.

   Organizational ability is an asset.

2. a single item of ownership having exchange value.

   Our summer home is an asset we're not willing to sell.

3. Digital Technology.,  one of the media components that, taken together, comprise all of the elements of a video game, such as the environments, objects, character art and animation, and sound design.

   All of the game assets are downloaded to your hard drive during the install, so slow load times are local and indicate a problem with your drive.

4. (in intelligence and information gathering) a person followed or spied upon to obtain information, who may be consenting, forced, or unaware of being used.

   They threatened to release a catalog of virtually every CIA asset within the Soviet Union.

5. Military.,  a physical resource, such as a piece of equipment, vehicle, or building.

6. assets. assets.

asset

/ ˈæsɛt /

noun

1. anything valuable or useful See also assets

   experience is their main asset

asset

1. A possession that can be turned into cash to cover liabilities.

Commonly, the term denotes anything of value.

Other Word Forms

• assetless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of asset¹

First recorded in 1525–35; back formation from assets, in phrase have assets, literally, “have enough (to pay obligations),” from Anglo-French, Old French asez “enough,” from unattested Vulgar Latin ad satis “to sufficiency”; assai ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of asset¹

C19: back formation from _assets

Example Sentences

Bailout money is likely to be invested in “market-moving purchases that push up the value of assets and local currency,” and hedge funds and vulture capitalists “will see a windfall.”

From Salon

The accords include so-called safety zones to be established around operations and assets that countries build on the Moon.

From BBC

Following events in Manchester, the Prime Minister said additional police "assets" would be deployed to synagogues across the UK.

From BBC

Sir Keir, who is flying back early from the European Political Community gathering in Copenhagen, Denmark, said "additional police assets" would be deployed at synagogues across the country.

From BBC

Freezers, animals, plants and other assets in research labs will continue to be maintained.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aid 
• benefit 
• credit 
• resource 
• service