appraise

/əˈpɹeɪz/

//əˈpɹeɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"appraise" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“appraise” is an uncommon English word, ranked #50,359 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#50,359
frequency rank, English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To determine the value or worth of (something), particularly as a person appointed for this purpose.

Key facts for appraise
PropertyValue
Headwordappraise
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əˈpɹeɪz/
Letters8
Frequency rank#50,359
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “appraise” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). appraise lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for appraise is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈpɹeɪz/. Corpus data places it at rank #50,359 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for appraise, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English apreisen, from Old French aprisier (“apraise, set a price on”) (compare modern French apprécier), from Late Latin appretiare, from ad- + Latin pretium (“price, value”) (English precious), from which also appreciate, a doublet. The correct English form is appraise, spelled A-P-P-R-A-I-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To determine the value or worth of (something), particularly as a person appointed for this purpose.
  2. 2
    To consider comprehensively.
  3. 3
    To judge the performance of someone, especially a worker.
  4. 4
    To estimate; to conjecture.
  5. 5
    To praise; to commend.

Etymology

From Middle English apreisen, from Old French aprisier (“apraise, set a price on”) (compare modern French apprécier), from Late Latin appretiare, from ad- + Latin pretium (“price, value”) (English precious), from which also appreciate, a doublet.

Synonyms

appraiseappriseapprizeassessesteemevaluatejudgepriceprizeratevaluatevalueweighworthen

Antonyms

discountmisappraise

This word in other languages

aforar(Español)einschätzen(Deutsch)avaliar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "appraise"?
"appraise" is spelled A-P-P-R-A-I-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈpɹeɪz/.
What does "appraise" mean?
As a verb, "appraise" means: To determine the value or worth of (something), particularly as a person appointed for this purpose.
How do you pronounce "appraise"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "appraise" is /əˈpɹeɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "appraise"?
From Middle English apreisen, from Old French aprisier (“apraise, set a price on”) (compare modern French apprécier), from Late Latin appretiare, from ad- + Latin pretium (“price, value”) (English precious), from which also appreciate, a doublet. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “appraise”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-P-P-R-A-I-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈpɹeɪz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list