appraisal
uh-PRAY-zul
/əˈpreɪ.zəl/
An act of assessing something or someone; a formal evaluation of performance.
In business, an appraisal is usually a scheduled, formal event where a year's worth of work is judged and future goals are set.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'ad-' (to) and 'pretiare' (to value/price), which comes from 'pretium' (price). It literally means 'to set a price on something.'
Word relationships
- evaluation: Evaluation is a general term; appraisal is more specific to setting a value or grade.
Commonly confused with
- assessment: Assessment is often ongoing; appraisal is usually a final or periodic formal judgment.
Word family
- appraise (verb): To assess the value or quality of.
Collocations
- performance appraisal
- annual appraisal
- critical appraisal
Example sentences
- "The annual performance appraisal is a chance for employees to discuss their career goals with their managers." HR policy.
- "The report offered a bleak appraisal of the company's chances for survival in the current market." Critical review.
Memory hook
An appraisal is like a 'praise' or 'app-raise' (getting a raise after a good review). Setting the value.
When not to use
In real estate, an appraisal is the estimation of a home's value, not a person's performance.
Fun facts
- The popular TV show 'Antiques Roadshow' is essentially a series of appraisals of old items.
Related words
Explore more words
interview, valuation, Appreciation, evaluation, approbation, applause
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