Where does “value” come from?

Value derives from Middle English valew, from Old French value and valoir meaning "to be strong or worthy," from Latin valere and valeo, ultimately from Proto-Italic walēō and Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁-.

value (English): The quality that renders something desirable or...

Definitions

  1. The quality that renders something desirable or...

Ancestry of “value”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishvalew—
2Old Frenchvalue—
3Old Frenchvaloirto have value; to be worth
4Latinvaleōto have strength, influence, power; to avail
5Proto-Italicwalēōto be strong
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wl̥h₁éh₁yeti—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂welh₁-to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool

Words derived from “value”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- →