worthy en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈwʌɾ.ðe/ (Scotland)
- /ˈwɝ.ði/ (General-American)
- /-ðɪ/ (Scotland)
- /ˈwəː.ðɪj/ (British, Southern, Standard)
- /ˈwøː.ði/ (New-Zealand, Wales)
- /ˈwɛː.ði/ Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger
- /-ði/ (Scotland)
- wûrthē (General-American)
- (US) audio
- /ˈwɜː.ði/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈweː.ði/ Liverpool, fair–fur merger
Etymology
From Middle English worthy, wurthi, from Old English *weorþiġ (“worthy”), equivalent to worth + -y. Cognate with Dutch waardig (“worthy”), Middle Low German werdig (“worthy”), German würdig (“worthy”), Swedish värdig (“worthy”), Icelandic verðugur (“worthy”).
Meanings
-
Having worth, merit, or value.
This worthy mind should worthy things embrace.
c. 1626, John Davies, The Original, Nature, and Immortality of the Soul:These banished men that I have kept withal / Are men endued with worthy qualities
c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]:
-
Admirable or honourable.
that such iron moulds as these shall have autority to knaw out the choicest periods of exquisitest books, and to commit such a treacherous fraud against the orphan remainders of worthiest men after death, the more sorrow will belong to that haples race of men, whose misfortune it is to have understanding.
1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC:
-
Deserving, or having sufficient worth.
It is not a conclusive proof of our being enlightened Christians, that we sneer and misinterpret bygone creeds, as though in the old Greek and Roman poetry were shewn nothing worthier than Fetish idols, rotten mummies, Australasian Ram-Jams and Ethiopian Mumbo-Jumbos.
1863, The Eagle: A Magazine - Volumes 3-4, page 280:[I]t is a deed of higheſt charitie to help undeceive the people, and a vvork vvorthieſt your autoritie, […]
1659, J[ohn] M[ilton], “To the Parlament of the Commonwealth of England with the Dominions therof”, in Considerations Touching the Likeliest Means to Remove Hirelings out of the Church. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcombe] for L[ivewell] Chapman […], →OCLC:1 And I saw in þe right hand of him that sate on the Throne, a booke written within, & on the backeside, sealed with seuen seales. 2 And I saw a strong Angel proclaiming with a loude voice; Who is worthy to open the booke, and to loose the seales thereof? 3 And no man in heauen, nor in earth, neither vnder the earth, was able to open the booke, neither to looke thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open, and to reade the booke, neither to looke thereon.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Revelation 5:1–4:
-
Suited; suitable; befitting.
And thou art worthy that thou shouldst not know / More happiness.
1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC:No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway.
1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi]:The station is clearly well looked after, making it a worthy gateway to the resort.
2022 January 12, Paul Bigland, “Fab Four: the nation's finest stations”, in RAIL, number 948, page 27:The lodging is well worthy of the guest.
1697, Virgil, “The Eleventh Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:[…] whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 3:11:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| worthier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| worthiest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
the laborer is worthy of his hire · markworthy · noteworthy · worthiness · worthily
Relateds
Synonyms
honorable · reverend · reverable · illustrious · creditable · esteemed · esteemed · treasured · allowable · reputable · respectable · admired · venerable · valued · honoured · praiseworthy · venerable · well-regarded · worthy · well-regarded · revered · glorious · admirable · priceless · blessed · worthy · respected · eminent · laudable · laudable · venerated · glorious · venerated · praiseworthy · valuable · gloriful · estimable · laudable · sacred · commendable · distinguished · feared · applauded
Translations (70)
io estiminda (honourable or admirable) · ml യോഗ്യമായ (having worth, merit, or value) · cy gwiw (having worth, merit, or value) · got 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐍃 (having worth, merit, or value) · cmn 值得 (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · ca digne (honourable or admirable) · mi whaitake (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · fi kunnianarvoisa (honourable or admirable) · hu érdemes (honourable or admirable) · el άξιος (having worth, merit, or value) · es digno (having worth, merit, or value) · el έξοχος (honourable or admirable) · io digna (having worth, merit, or value) · cmn 配稱 /配称 (having worth, merit, or value) · ro demn (having worth, merit, or value) · ota عزیز (honourable or admirable) · hy արժանի (honourable or admirable) · la dignus (honourable or admirable) · fi arvollinen (having worth, merit, or value) · ru сто́ящий (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · es digno (honourable or admirable) · et väärtuslik (having worth, merit, or value) · eo merita (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · ga diongbháilte (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · eo inda (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · et väärt (having worth, merit, or value) · bg достоен (having worth, merit, or value) · la dignus (having worth, merit, or value) · ja 値する (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · mi whaiwariu (having worth, merit, or value) · bg заслужен (honourable or admirable) · hy արժանի (having worth, merit, or value) · ru достопочте́нный (honourable or admirable) · el άξιος (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · ru досто́йный (having worth, merit, or value) · eo inda (having worth, merit, or value) · grc ἔξοχος (honourable or admirable) · eo admirinda (honourable or admirable) · eo digna (having worth, merit, or value) · fr honorable (honourable or admirable) · bg заскужаващ (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · te అర్హము (having worth, merit, or value) · eo estimata (honourable or admirable) · io honorinda (honourable or admirable) · pl zacny (honourable or admirable) · nl waardig (having worth, merit, or value) · hi योग्य (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · it degno (having worth, merit, or value) · de würdig (having worth, merit, or value) · nrf dîngne (having worth, merit, or value) · pt digno (having worth, merit, or value) · eo honorinda (honourable or admirable) · ca digne (having worth, merit, or value) · pt valioso (having worth, merit, or value) · ru заслу́женный (honourable or admirable) · pl godny (having worth, merit, or value) · eo meritplena (honourable or admirable) · lv cienīgs (having worth, merit, or value) · ltg godns (having worth, merit, or value) · fr digne (having worth, merit, or value) · txb aṣām (having worth, merit, or value) · ru заслу́живающий (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · grc ἄξιος (having worth, merit, or value) · fr admirable (honourable or admirable) · io honoroza (honourable or admirable) · io digna (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · hy արժանի (deserving, or having sufficient worth) · uk гі́дний (having worth, merit, or value) · uk досто́йний (having worth, merit, or value) · gl digno (having worth, merit, or value)