assessment
noun
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History of Assessment
Assessment has two meanings (“an amount that a person is officially required to pay” and “the act of making a judgment about something”) so distinct that one might rightfully wonder if they come from different sources. They do not.
Both are derived from related senses of assess, a verb that for over 500 years has meant “to determine the rate or amount of (a tax).” The monetary sense of assessment is tied to this oldest use of assess. By the 19th century, the verb’s object shifted slightly to produce a new meaning, “to make an official valuation of (property) for the purposes of taxation.” It was but a short step from here to the broadened sense “to make a judgment about” that is the basis of assessment “the act of making a judgment.”
Examples of assessment in a Sentence
Fox News Staff, Fox News, 1 Mar. 2025
These participants, ranging from 20 to 27 years old, represented the top talent from their respective countries after a rigorous selection process involving pre-boot camp assessments in each country.
—Tarun Galagali, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
The exam does not necessitate cognitive nor psychiatric assessment, according to The Washington Post.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025
Those concerns are heightened when AI is applied to skills assessments, where more than two-thirds of HR managers are at least somewhat concerned over its use.
—Ryan Johnston, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assessment
Cite this Entry
“Assessment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assessment. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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assessment
noun
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