asset

Etymology

Back-formation from assets, from Anglo-Norman asetz, from Old French assez (“enough”). Compare Middle English asseth.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈæsɪt/
  • Rhymes: -æsɪt
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈæsɛt/, /ˈæsət/
• (Indic) IPA^(key): /aˈseʈ/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

asset (plural assets)

1. A thing or quality that has value, especially one that generates cash flows.

   My assets consist of stocks in companies that pay a dividend, and a few apartments that pay me rental income.

   • January 31 2020, Boris Johnson, Brexit Day speech

     And when I look at this country’s incredible assets. Our scientists, our engineers, our world-leading universities, our armed forces. When I look at the potential of this country waiting to be unleashed, I know that we can turn this opportunity into a stunning success.

   Coordinate term: liability

   1. (accounting) Any item recorded on the left-hand side of a balance sheet.

      Coordinate term: liability

2. (software) Any component, model, process or framework of value that can be leveraged or reused.
3. (espionage) An intelligence asset.
4. (slang, usually in the plural) A woman's breasts or buttocks or a man's genitalia.
   • 2009, Kaitlynn Maguire, Margaret Tingley, Serendipitous Moments of Female Sensuality, page 27:

     Perhaps it is simply common for wives to want their female friends to see their husband nude – especially if he has nice assets. Honestly, I also wanted to see the dick of Brian and Andrew.

   • 2009, Cheyenne McCray, The First Sin: A Lexi Steele Novel, page 189:

     “Slave Alexi has nice assets.”

   • 2016, Deanna Chase, Spirits, Rock Stars, and a Midnight Chocolate Bar: Pyper Rayne, Book 2:

     Muse studied Ida May's breasts for a moment, then reached out and grabbed the left one. “Good size. Firm. Yeah, you got some nice assets.”

See also

• ownership equity

Anagrams

• SESTA, sates, TASes, SEATs, TESSA, Easts, seats, setas, Tessa, tasse, tases, Seats, easts, satés

Noun

asset n

1. singular definite of as