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Some things are valuable, i.e. they are of great worth or appreciated for whatever reason. Some other things, however, are not valuable at all to start with, but we can assign value to them by convention or law, for example. This process is called valorization. When something is valorized, it becomes valuable.

I need an adjective to describe things that may be subject to valorization, but which are not valuable yet. Valorizable comes to mind, but it doesn't appear in OED.

I am working in the cultural heritage domain, where almost any conceivable thing may be given cultural value by someone at some point. A thing that has cultural value is valuable. What do you call a thing that has no cultural value (yet), but has the potential to become valuable?

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  • Can you clarify? Anything from cowrie shells to engraved pieces of paper can be assigned a value by authority; it becomes valuable if people agree on the value.
    – Tim Lymington
    Commented Sep 5, 2011 at 10:56
  • @TimLymington: Yes, but that's not relevant to my question (as far as I can see). Let's assume that things, whatever they are, can be assigned a value by whomever.
    – CesarGon
    Commented Sep 5, 2011 at 10:58
  • commodifiable/saleable?
    – Autoresponder
    Commented Sep 5, 2011 at 11:39
  • @user11761: Thanks for your answer; however, I am looking for a more abstract term, one that focuses on the concept of value as an abstract thing (and not necessarily monetary) rather than that of selling or buying.
    – CesarGon
    Commented Sep 5, 2011 at 12:40
  • Sounds like you're looking for plain and simple 'valuable'. In context, if a thing is 'valuable', it means a value can be assigned to it. (Although if context doesn't make this explicit, it might just seem to mean 'of great value'). Can you provide a little more context/background?
    – Autoresponder
    Commented Sep 5, 2011 at 12:57

4 Answers 4

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You might consider using evaluable which describes something that we can attach a value to.

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  • evaluable is a good answer, but since the OP was asking for adjective, I'd say evaluative.
    – Phonics The Hedgehog
    Commented Sep 6, 2011 at 2:50
  • @Jasper Loy: I am not sure about evaluable. It means that something can be have its value determined, and this is halfway between having its value established and having it appreciated. Still, your answer is the best so far, and sounds reasonable, so +1 to you.
    – CesarGon
    Commented Sep 6, 2011 at 13:48
  • @Jasper: I have accepted your answer now; thank you! If you don't mind, I'd like to acknowledge your help in the documentation of the research project about which this question was posted.
    – CesarGon
    Commented Sep 10, 2011 at 2:43
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You could try the adjective appreciative

feeling, expressing, or capable of appreciation

This works because things can appreciate in value, i.e. become more valuable.

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  • As far as I understand, appreciative is applied to the people who sees value in something, rather to the thing being valued. The example in the link that you provide ("an appreciative audience at the concert") shows this well.
    – CesarGon
    Commented Sep 6, 2011 at 13:39
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If something has not yet been valorized, it is unevaluated, implying that it might be valued at some point in the future.

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I can't think of a single word that does what you want it to do. The best I can come up with is a phrase -- "latent value"? "potential value?" "inherent worth?"

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  • I am trying to find an adjective.
    – CesarGon
    Commented Sep 5, 2011 at 20:33
  • I like this idea - maybe "potentially valuable"?
    – aedia λ
    Commented Sep 7, 2011 at 23:10

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