Assess
/əˈsɛs/noun
To evaluate, estimate, or determine the value, amount, or quality of something.
Did you know?“Assess” ultimately comes from a Latin root meaning “to sit beside,” because officials originally judged value by literally sitting next to someone’s case or tax burden.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sed-
“to sit”
Latin
Latin
sedēre
“to sit”
Late Latin
Latin
assessāre
“to sit beside, sit as an assessor; to levy a tax”
Old French
Old French
assesser
“to tax, apportion, or determine a contribution”
Middle English
English
assessen
“to impose a tax or fix a value”
Modern English
English
assess
“to evaluate or estimate formally”