Disvalue

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. The state or quality of having low or undesirable value
2. A measure of something's lack of usefulness, merit, or benefit
3. The attribute of being disadvantageous or harmful in importance or effect

Etymology: "Disvalue" is a plain formation: the prefix "dis-" (from Latin "dis-", meaning apart, asunder, or in a reversed or negative sense) attached to "value." English speakers have used "dis-" this way for centuries to build opposites and negations, as in "dislike," "disagree," and "dishonest." The result here is a word for the opposite of value, the quality of being worth little or being harmful in a way that counts against something. The word is useful mainly because it names negative worth directly, without reaching for a phrase like "lack of value." Its meaning is transparent from its parts, so its history is short and unremarkable: it simply extends the pattern that "dis-" has long applied to nouns and verbs, which is why it can be read at a glance.

Synonyms: devalue, depreciation

Antonyms: value, appreciation, worth