different between estimable vs first-rate

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French estimable.

Adjective

estimable (comparative more estimable, superlative most estimable)

1. Worthy of esteem; admirable.
   • 1868, Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, ch. 22:

     Mr. March told . . . how devoted Brooke had been, and how he was altogether a most estimable and upright young man.

2. (archaic) Valuable.
   • 1596, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, act 1, scene 3:

     A pound of man's flesh taken from a man

     Is not so estimable, profitable neither,

     As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats.

3. Capable of being estimated; estimatable.
   • 1928, Louis Kahlenberg and Norbert Barwasser, "On the time of Absorption and Excretion of Boric Acid in Man," Journal of Biological Chemistry, volume 79, iss. 2, page 406:

     After this time boric acid is always present in estimable amounts.

Further reading

• estimable at OneLook Dictionary Search

French

Etymology

From estimer +? -able

Adjective

estimable (plural estimables)

1. estimable, creditable
2. esteemed

Further reading

• “estimable” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Spanish

Adjective

estimable (plural estimables)

1. esteemed, admirable
2. estimable (capable of being estimated)

Related terms

• estimado

English

Noun

first-rate (plural first-rates)

1. (military, nautical, historical) A ship of the line in the British navy that had over 100 guns on three gun decks

Adjective

first-rate

1. (military, nautical, historical) Describing a ship of the line in the British navy that had over 100 guns on three gundecks.
2. (by extension) Exceptionally good.
   • 1867, Matthew Arnold, On the Study of Celtic Literature

     Our only first-rate body of contemporary poetry is the German.

Translations

See also

• second-rate
• third-rate
• fourth-rate