Etymology

estimate

E1S1T1I1M3A1T1E1

Today it means: A rough calculation or assessment of the value, size, or cost of something. Full definition →

Middle English estimat
Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

estimate · noun1

  1. Middle English · inherited fromestimat
  2. English todayestimate

From Middle English estimat, borrowed from Latin aestimātus (“valuing, estimate”, only used in the ablative singular: "aestimātū..." (in valuing...)), from aestimō + -tus (“action noun-forming suffix”).

estimate · verb2

  1. Old Latin · derived from*ais-temos“one who cuts copper”
  2. Latin · borrowed fromaestimātus
  3. English todayestimate

Borrowed from Latin aestimātus, perfect passive participle of aestimō (“to estimate”) (see -ate), older form aestumō (“to value, rate, esteem”); from Old Latin *ais-temos (“one who cuts copper”), meaning one in the Roman Republic who mints money. Compare Middle English estymatt (“reputed”) / estimat. See also the doublet esteem, as well as aim.

estimate · adjective3

  1. Latin · borrowed fromaestimātus“estimated”
  2. English todayestimate

From Latin aestimātus (“estimated”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and Etymology 2 for more. Originally used as the past participle of estimate; compare generate or communicate.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.