desvalioso

Desvalioso is an adjective in the Spanish language used to describe something that has lost value or possesses little value. The term is rare in contemporary usage and is mainly found in historical, literary, or specialized legal-economic contexts. In everyday speech, phrases such as sin valor, de poco valor, or desvalorado are more common to convey the same idea.

Etymology and form: Desvalioso is formed with the prefix des- meaning negation or reversal, attached to valioso, which comes from Latin valiosus and valere, meaning valuable or strong. The combination yields a sense of being valueless or of diminished worth.

Usage and nuance: Desvalioso can refer to physical objects, assets, or monetary instruments that have depreciated or become worthless. It may also appear in older texts to describe situations where goods, coins, or properties no longer hold their former value. In modern Spanish, its use is largely literary or historical, with more usual terms emphasizing specific contexts of depreciation or low value.

See also: valioso, desvalorizar, desvalorización, depreciación, sin valor.

Example: An old manuscript might be described as desvalioso if its economic or monetary value has diminished due to wear or market changes, though a modern writer would more likely say que perdió valor or que está de poco valor.