valorize

Valorize is a verb with two closely related senses in English. It can mean to assign value to something, either by determining a price or by evaluating its intrinsic worth. It can also mean to raise the value or status of something through action or policy.

Originating from Latin valor, meaning value or worth, the word reached English through French. In modern English, two spellings are common: valorize (American) and valorise (British). The corresponding noun forms are valorization and valorisation.

In economics and public policy, valorization refers to the practice of ascribing monetary or social value to goods, services, or outcomes that lack active markets. This allows cost–benefit analyses, budgeting, and policy evaluation to account for nonmarket effects, such as environmental services or cultural assets. Valorization can involve adding value through processing, regulation, or institutional recognition.

In everyday usage, valorize is relatively uncommon and may appear more in technical or scholarly writing. A broader, less specialized alternative is to use value, value in use, or monetization, depending on the context.