Appreciativeness

/əˈpriːʃətɪvnəs/ noun

Definition

The quality of being grateful and recognizing the value or importance of something.

Etymology

From appreciate + -ness suffix. Appreciate comes from Latin appreciatus, past participle of appreciare (to set a price on), from ad- + pretium (price). The suffix -ness converts adjectives to abstract nouns. The meaning evolved from 'setting monetary value' to 'recognizing worth' to modern 'expressing gratitude.'

Kelly Says

This word captures something psychologists now call 'gratitude practices'—studies show people who regularly practice appreciativeness actually become happier and healthier, which means ancient Latin banking language accidentally described modern wellness science!

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