Appreciative

Appreciative is an English adjective describing two related notions. It can refer to a person who expresses gratitude or thanks, as in “She was appreciative of the help she received,” and it can also describe someone who recognizes value or quality in people, actions, or objects, as in “an appreciative audience” or “an appreciative understanding of risk.”

Origin and formation: The word comes from the noun appreciation and the verb appreciate, tracing back to Latin and Old French forms meaning to value or estimate worth. The shift from valuing something to expressing gratitude reflects the idea that recognizing value in others prompts appreciation.

Usage notes: In most contexts, appreciative describes nouns such as audience, reader, gesture, or response. The common pattern is the preposition “of” to indicate gratitude: “He was appreciative of their support.” When referring to recognizing value, it can describe a perspective or understanding without necessarily using “of,” as in “an appreciative understanding of the situation.” The antonym is typically “unappreciative,” though in everyday language people may simply say “not grateful” or “ungrateful.”

Related terms and concepts: Appreciation (noun), gratitude, thankful, praise. In organizational or research contexts, “appreciative inquiry” is a method that emphasizes strengths and possibilities rather than problems, aiming to foster positive change.