Esteem
/ɪˈstiːm/noun
To regard someone or something with respect or admiration.
Did you know?Esteem comes through French from Latin *aestimare*, a verb tied to estimating, assessing, and valuing—proof that language has long treated worth like a kind of judgment ritual.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂eis-
“to value, to honor, to estimate”
Latin
Latin
aestimare
“to value, appraise, assess”
Old French
Old French
estimer
“to estimate, appraise, esteem”
Middle English
English
estemen
“to value, estimate, hold in regard”
Modern English
English
esteem
“to regard highly; respect”
Explore more surprising origins