Meaning of invaluable?

I think the best translation is “priceless.” That is, something so precious that you cannot assign a dollar value. It is true that some things are like that. It might also be expressed by saying there is no “value” in the sense of no “price” at which you would part with it. There are things I inherited from My Steve that are like that. As well as, of course, the box in which his ashes rest. It had a dollar value as a nice wooden box when it was empty. Now, including the contents sealed inside, it is invaluable. Priceless.

invaluable should be used since it is beyond words,reach or grasp of anyone in value that is. it holds so much information, and it is rich in meaning, yet describes what is really valuable to an extent that we can sort of think of. a plain word would be too easy to describe something of importance therefore this word throws you off, yet is the opposite of what we think: not valuable at a first glance. it means that something of great value is decribed or something priceless-think of a painting, a famous painting for example and this word would apply since that piece is too priceless! sometimes words just like objects are too priceless and this is where this word comes into play, for a very valuable word or words. an invaluable word in many cases does what actions do: it speaks loud therefore you need a strong or powerful word to hold the sentence together if it is of great importance or rather to get a point across with out saying too much.

A prefix in- has given rise to a passel of questions about the meanings of words that use it. The explanations vary–in some cases, it has to do with the fact that there are actually three different prefixes in-; in others, a language change has obscured the development of a current meaning. […]

The other in- is a Latin negative prefix, equivalent to English un-. Some of its other forms are im-, il-, and ir-. This prefix is used to indicate a negative or the absence of something.

The word invaluable also uses the negative prefix, but the explanation for the unusual sense of the word is that valuable is not the current meaning ‘having considerable monetary or moral worth’, but an obsolete meaning ‘capable of being valued’. So etymologically, invaluable means ‘not capable of being valued’; compare the semantics of priceless. It’s the shift of the sense of valuable that makes it confusing.

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RE:

Meaning of invaluable?

Who can give me the best explanation as to why we use the term “invaluable” to describe something that is really valuable?

Beyond the ability to place a value on. Invaluable.

Invaluable..valuable beyond estimation…for example..he was an invaluable asset to the company. In other words, the company could not do without his expertise and knowledge. It is an opposite statement..this employee is a valuable asset to the company.

The prefix used is IN… Sometimes this means NOT … incomplete, incessant, and inestimable. Sometimes IN means INTO or IN…income, include, inside. It also could signify a great quality… inflame, increase and invaluable.

Another adjective that uses IN confuses people…inflammable. It means the same thing as flammable…something that can be consumed in flames.

adjective

Of great value: costly, inestimable, precious, priceless, valuable, worthy. Idioms: beyond price, of great price.

–adjective beyond calculable or appraisable value; of inestimable worth; priceless: an invaluable art collection; her invaluable assistance.

http://www.allwords.com/query.php?SearchType=3&Key…

http://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/invaluable

Probably the same reason we use the word inflammable to mean something that is really flammable.