aestimō

From Old Latin aestumāre, from Proto-Italic *aistomāō, whose origin is uncertain. Usually explained as aes (“copper, bronze”) +‎ *temos (“cut”), so “one who cuts copper”, meaning one in the Roman Republic who mints money. The second element is then from Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- (“to cut”).

However, De Vaan finds this improbable and instead proposes a connection with Proto-Indo-European *h₂eys- (“to seek”), found in aeruscō (“to beg”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈae̯s.ti.moː/, [ˈäe̯s̠t̪ɪmoː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈes.ti.mo/, [ˈɛst̪imo]

Verb

aestimō (present infinitive aestimāre, perfect active aestimāvī, supine aestimātum); first conjugation

1. to determine the value of something; value, price, rate, appraise, assess; estimate, reckon, consider, judge
2. to estimate the moral value of something; hold, weigh, value