English
estimate
Estimate comes from Latin aestimātus ‘assessed, estimated, reckoned, considered’, and goes back to aestimō ‘to determine the value of something’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaestimō‘to determine the value of something’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaestimātus‘assessed, estimated, reckoned, considered’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500estimat
- Englishearliest quotation 1928estimate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaestimō‘to determine the value of something’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaestimātus‘assessed, estimated, reckoned, considered’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500estimat
- Englishearliest quotation 1928estimate
Earliest quotation: 1928, Lawrence R. Bourne: “They know our boats will stand up to their…”
Linked words
through Old Latin aestumō
through Latin aestimō ‘to determine the value of something’
Another origin of estimate
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCE*ais-temos‘one who cuts copper’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaestimō‘to estimate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaestimātus‘assessed, estimated, reckoned, considered’perfect passive participle of aestimō
- Englishtodayestimate
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.
Today it means
noun A rough calculation or assessment of the value, size, or cost of something.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin aestimō / estimate