Word forms: to appreciate, appreciated, appreciative, appreciatively
Note: This term is not a single value, but a conceptual value system (a system of values) to which we have assigned a number of concrete values:
Examples of assigned values
recognition, attentiveness, thankfulness, empathy, friendliness, generosity, warmth, politeness, interest, compassion, respect, sympathy, share, tolerance, faithfulness, trust, affection
Synonyms
recognition, esteem, regard, acknowledgement, valuing, commendation, honouring
Softer forms: affection, validation, interest, regard, respect
German: Wertschätzung — a notably broad term that English splits across several words (see “The German concept of Wertschätzung” below). Related German notions: Würdigung (honouring), Hochachtung (high esteem), Anerkennung (recognition).
Origin / Etymology
Appreciation derives from Late Latin appretiare (“to set a price on, to value”), formed from ad- (“to”) and pretium (“price, worth”). The same pretium also gives English price and — by way of Old French preisier — the word praise. To appreciate is therefore, at its root, “to assign a worth” to something or someone.
(For the origin of the German term Wertschätzung, see “The German concept of Wertschätzung” below.)
Definition
The recognising and valuing of one or more perceptible qualities (values) of a thing (an object) or of individuals (subjects) — literally, “to set a worth upon” something or someone.
Description
We speak of appreciation when we deliberately direct our focus onto the interesting or desirable qualities and value orientations of someone (or something) and express this through attention, interest, respect and — sometimes — benevolent feedback (recognition).
In the increasingly common “discussions about values”, the term appreciation is invoked very often — frequently as a call to replace the widely felt (subjectively perceived) lack of regard with more benevolent, motivating recognition.
Appreciation is often mistaken for a single value and used as one. It is better understood as a value system that can be filled with a variety of different values, depending on the situation and the relationship.
The purpose of appreciation
Appreciation can be motivated in very different ways, for example:
- out of empathy, sympathy or goodwill = appreciation as a basic attitude rooted in benevolent character traits
- to motivate employees, allies, partners and so on = appreciation as a strategic leadership instrument (praise)
- out of politeness, arising from a corresponding upbringing (conditioning) = appreciation as a conditioned cultural or sub-cultural ritual
- out of thankfulness, in response to events or experiences perceived as positive = appreciation arising from a benevolent, recognising frame of mind
Whatever its motivation, appreciation triggers a positive reaction in almost every case — in the one who appreciates as much as in the one who is appreciated.
Appreciation within organisations
A rational, culture-bearing community (a company, for instance) strives for a “team spirit” that allows everyone to develop freely.
Within organisations, appreciation means above all: showing — and possessing — attention and interest, together with respect and benevolent feedback. This frame of mind, first and foremost on the part of leadership, is the basis of a healthy and fruitful corporate culture.
That our societies need a change of thinking when it comes to appreciation is borne out by almost every survey and statistic conducted within organisations (for example in the context of workplace health management). Recognition, or rather its absence, repeatedly turns out to be one of the strongest drivers of engagement and retention.
Praise versus appreciation
It is worth distinguishing two ideas that English — like German — easily confuses, even though they spring from the same etymological root. “Praise” descends from Latin pretium (“price, worth”) by way of Old French preisier; “appreciate” comes from the same pretium through Late Latin appretiare (“to set a price on”). Both literally mean “to assign a worth” — and yet in practice they point in opposite directions.
Praise singles out an extraordinary achievement and makes it explicitly, even excessively, visible. It is performance-oriented and implies a hierarchy between the one who praises and the one who is praised. Praise is usually tied — consciously or not — to conditions and expectations. Used deliberately as a motivational tool, it works mainly on people who depend on recognition or have low self-awareness; praised too often, it has an inflationary effect.
Appreciation, by contrast, is the perceptible unconditional recognition of the valuable aspects of things, situations, products and services — or of the worthy attributes of a person or a group. It is directed primarily at “being” rather than “doing”: at someone’s nature and its honourable qualities.
Appreciation is essential nourishment for individuals and for relationships. Through this form of confirming valuable attributes (feedback, affection, resonance), human relationships can establish and grow themselves — a space for unfolding potential. Latent, unconditional appreciation builds a relational level on equal footing, and with it a shared awareness of collective strength.
The German concept of Wertschätzung
English readers will recognise much of the above under the everyday word “appreciation”. The German term Wertschätzung, however, is often cited as difficult to translate, because it bundles into a single word what English distributes across several: appreciation, esteem, recognition, regard and the quiet, unconditional valuing of another person’s worth.
The word is a compound of Wert (“worth, value”) and Schätzung (“estimation, appraisal”), and it is etymologically related to Schatz (“treasure”). To practise Wertschätzung, then, is quite literally “to treasure the worth” of something or someone — a felicitous parallel to the pretium (“price, worth”) buried inside the English words appreciate, praise and even price.
What is mattering?
A related and increasingly used English concept is mattering (the felt sense that one matters to others), which captures the recipient’s side of appreciation — the experience of being valued — rather than the attitude or act of the one who values.
Cf. Morris Rosenberg, B. Claire McCullough: „Mattering: Inferred Significance and Mental Health”. In: Research in Community and Mental Health, Bd. 2 (1981), S. 163–182. See also Gordon L. Flett: „The Psychology of Mattering” (2018)
Quotes
„There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.“
Mother Teresa (1910–1997)
“True culture reveals itself in the appreciation of personality.”
Paul de Lagarde (1827–1891)
„I can’t change the fact that my paintings don’t sell. But the time will come when people will recognise that they are worth more than the value of the paint used in them.“
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)
„He who does not value life does not deserve it.“
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
„When values are not appreciated, they perish.“
Frank H. Sauer (b. 1964)
Part of the Values Dictionary — the English edition of the German Online Values Lexicon (WELEX).
Last edit: 24.05.2026