invaluable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of invaluable
First recorded in 1570–80; in- 3 + valuable, in obsolete sense “capable of valuation”
Explanation
If you're robbed, much of what is stolen can be replaced. All you need is the cash value of what was lost. But some things––family photos, heirloom jewelry––are invaluable, meaning extremely valuable, or priceless. At first glance, you would think that invaluable means "not valuable." But to understand its meaning, you'd have to know that it was formed from the prefix in- "not" plus the verb value, plus the suffix –able "able to be." So something invaluable has such great value that its value can't be calculated.
Vocabulary lists containing invaluable
Mandela's Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Address
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
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The Magic Fish
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Camcorder footage of the 1996 wedding weekend from the documentary “JFK Jr. & Carolyn’s Wedding: The Lost Tapes” proved invaluable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
He acknowledged that the program “plays an invaluable role in the lives of many disabled New Yorkers” but agreed with the Justice Department that “it has also fallen prey to widespread waste, abuse and fraud.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Our call handlers received a considerable amount of information from members of the public and that assistance has been invaluable in helping us locate Jumaa.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Lead board director David Viniar, a former executive at the bank, has told others Ruemmler is invaluable, and approved her staying beyond June, according to people briefed on the discussions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
They thanked him for the invaluable information he provided.
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
