estime

Estime is a French term with two principal senses: esteem or respect, and estimation or valuation. As a noun, l'estime denotes the regard or high regard one holds for a person or thing, and can also refer to the value assigned to something, such as an object or a situation. It is common to speak of someone “ayant de l’estime pour” another person, or of the public’s esteem for an author or artist. The phrase l’estime de soi refers to self-esteem.

As a verb, estimer means to estimate, to value, or to think or believe. In present tense forms it yields j’estime, tu estimes, il estime, nous estimons, vous estimez, ils estiment. Examples include “Il estime le coût à mille euros” and “J’estime que c’est une bonne idée.” The word thus covers both quantitative assessment and subjective judgment.

Etymology and related terms: estimer comes from Old French estime, which in turn derives from Latin aestimare, meaning to value or assess. This lineage connects estimer to English words such as esteem (respect) and estimate (evaluate). Several French derivatives are common: estimable (worthy of esteem or respect), estimation (the act or result of estimating), and l’estime de soi (self-esteem).

Usage notes: estimer and estimer are widely used in everyday French, with l’estime often appearing in social or ethical contexts, and estimation in technical or financial contexts. The concept of esteem emphasizes moral or affective value, while estimation emphasizes numerical or comparative assessment.