Skip to the word

Added 8 October 2026

rate

/ɹeɪt/ noun

In Latin: aestimō Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about rate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The worth of something; value. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
The proportional relationship between one amount, value etc. and another.
At the height of his powers, he was producing pictures at the rate of four a year.
The relative speed of change or progress.
The rate of production at the factory is skyrocketing.

verb

To assign or be assigned a particular rank or level.
She is rated fourth in the country.
To evaluate or estimate the value of.
They rate his talents highly.
To consider or regard.
He rated this book brilliant.

verb

To berate, scold.

verb

To cause (hay, hemp, flax, etc) to decay (whether in an injurious way, or—as retting—in a useful way) by exposure to weather, particularly wetness.

Origin

From Middle English rate, from Old French rate, from Medieval Latin rata, from Latin prō ratā parte (“according to a fixed part”), from ratus (“fixed”), from rērī (“think, deem, judge, estimate", originally "reckon, calculate”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word