valoric

Valoric is an adjective used primarily in philosophy, linguistics, and social theory to describe statements, properties, or theories that pertain to values, value judgments, or normative properties. In this sense, valoric content asserts or expresses evaluative commitments, duties, or worth, rather than mere descriptions of facts. The term is often paired with nonvaloric to distinguish evaluative language from descriptive or factual statements.

The word derives from valor, value, with the suffix -ic; its use in English scholarship is relatively specialized and not part of everyday vocabulary.

In metaethics and related fields, valoric statements are subjects of debate regarding whether they are truth-apt or expressive of attitudes. Some theories treat valoric language as conveying objective claims about value or obligation, while others view it as expressing approval, disapproval, or motivational attitudes rather than stating facts.

In linguistics and social science, valoric language includes adjectives and nouns that convey value judgments, such as good, bad, beneficial, or harmful. Researchers examine how valoric framing influences reasoning, decision making, and policy support, as well as how evaluative terms interact with cultural and contextual factors.

Outside academia, valoric may appear in literature, media, or branding as a stylistic device or as a label signaling value-oriented themes. However, it is not a widely standardized technical term beyond scholarly contexts, and its exact usage can vary by discipline and author. See also nonvaloric, normative language, and expressivism.