Net worth
Etymology
"Net" comes from Old French "net" (clean, clear), from Latin "nitidus" (shining, neat) — the amount left once deductions are cleared away. "Worth" is native Old English "weorþ" (value). Together they name the clean, cleared-out figure after debts are stripped from assets.
noun phrase · /NET WURTH/
The total value of everything you own minus everything you owe.
What it names
The single truest snapshot of financial position — what would be left if you sold every asset and paid off every debt.
Example
Paying off the car loan barely raised their income but noticeably improved their net worth.
Related idea
Distinguish it from income: income measures the flow of money over time, net worth measures the stock accumulated at a single moment — a high earner with heavy debts can have a lower net worth than a modest saver.