Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “worthly” come from?

worthly (English) comes from Middle English worthely, from Old English weorþlīċ, from Proto-Germanic werþalīkaz, from Proto-Germanic werþą, from Proto-Germanic werþaz, from Proto-Indo-European wert-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

worthly (English): Having great worth or value; valuable; important;...

Definitions

  1. Having great worth or value; valuable; important;...

Ancestry of “worthly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishworthely—
2Old Englishweorþlīċimportant, valuable, splendid, worthy, estimable,...
3Proto-GermanicwerþalīkazOf great worth; valuable; important
4Proto-Germanicwerþąworth, value; honour, dignity
5Proto-Germanicwerþazworthy, valuable
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “worthly”

  • worthliness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →