asset

[as-et]

noun

1. a useful and desirable thing or quality.

   Organizational ability is an asset.

2. a single item of ownership having exchange value.

   Our summer home is an asset we're not willing to sell.

3. Digital Technology.,  one of the media components that, taken together, comprise all of the elements of a video game, such as the environments, objects, character art and animation, and sound design.

   All of the game assets are downloaded to your hard drive during the install, so slow load times are local and indicate a problem with your drive.

4. (in intelligence and information gathering) a person followed or spied upon to obtain information, who may be consenting, forced, or unaware of being used.

   They threatened to release a catalog of virtually every CIA asset within the Soviet Union.

5. Military.,  a physical resource, such as a piece of equipment, vehicle, or building.

6. assets. assets.

asset

/ ˈæsɛt /

noun

1. anything valuable or useful See also assets

   experience is their main asset

asset

1. A possession that can be turned into cash to cover liabilities.

Commonly, the term denotes anything of value.

Other Word Forms

• assetless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of asset¹

First recorded in 1525–35; back formation from assets, in phrase have assets, literally, “have enough (to pay obligations),” from Anglo-French, Old French asez “enough,” from unattested Vulgar Latin ad satis “to sufficiency”; assai ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of asset¹

C19: back formation from _assets

Example Sentences

Heritage crime refers to any illegal activity that harms historical assets.

From BBC

It means a return to the backbenches for a high-profile MP who was considered to be a big political asset to her party and who remains a popular figure within many Labour circles and beyond.

From BBC

The designation means the US can target the assets and properties of anyone associated with the groups and share intelligence with the Ecuadorian government without limitations so it could take "potentially lethal" actions.

From BBC

AlHusseini allegedly falsified records to inflate his assets to obtain the loans, and Sanberg concealed from investigators that he was the source for revenue that was recognized by the company.

From Los Angeles Times

It also raised questions about the Holness's integrity, citing a report which had questioned his income and assets declaration.

From BBC

Related Words

• aid 
• benefit 
• credit 
• resource 
• service