/ əˌpriːʃiˈeɪʃn; NAmE / noun
1.
[ U ] pleasure that you have when you recognize and enjoy the good qualities of sb/sth :
She shows little appreciation of good music.
The crowd murmured in appreciation .
2.
[ U , sing. ] appreciation of sth a full or sympathetic understanding of sth, such as a situation or a problem, and of what it involves :
I had no appreciation of the problems they faced.
3.
[ U ] appreciation (of / for sth) the feeling of being grateful for sth :
Please accept this gift in appreciation of all you've done for us.
4.
[ U , sing. ] appreciation (in sth) increase in value over a period of time
OPP depreciation
5.
[ C ] appreciation (of sth) ( formal ) a piece of writing or a speech in which the strengths and weaknesses of sb/sth, especially an artist or a work of art, are discussed and judged
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: from French appréciation , from late Latin appretiatio(n-) , from the verb appretiare set at a price, appraise, from ad- to + pretium price.