par value

American  

noun

1. face value.

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par value British  

noun

1. Also called: face value.  the value imprinted on the face of a share certificate or bond and used to assess dividend, capital ownership, or interest Compare market value book value

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Etymology

Origin of par value

First recorded in 1800–10

Compare meaning

How does par-value compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• par value vs. face value
• par value vs. market value

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

par value

In the secondary market, you may pay more than $1,000 for each $1,000 in original principal or par value.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

The sale price for the February deal, at 99.7% of par value, looked remarkably high, considering the recent pressure on private-credit valuations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026

After the market close, Avis filed an automatic regulatory filing for the offer and sale “from time to time” of common stock, par value $0.01 per share.

From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026

Blue Owl Capital said late Wednesday that it had sold $1.4 billion of assets from three of its private-credit funds to a group of institutional investors at fair value, or 99.7% of par value.

From Barron's ● Feb. 19, 2026

A credit union may be organized by any seven or more persons with a share capital the par value of which shall not exceed $25.

From Readings in Money and Banking Selected and Adapted by Chester Arthur Phillips