worth its weight in gold

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

extremely valuable, useful, or important; so beneficial that its value is comparable to the equivalent weight in the most precious of metals; the phrase dates to antiquity when gold was the universal standard of value and monetary exchange; in modern usage it is applied most often to intangible assets — knowledge, skills, advice, relationships, and trustworthy people — where the comparison to gold highlights the paradox that the most valuable things often cannot be bought at any price