Where does “worthwhile” come from?
Worthwhile derives from English while combined with worth, which comes from Middle English worth, Old English weorþ, Proto-Germanic werþaz, and Proto-Indo-European wer-.
worthwhile (English): Good and important enough to spend time, effort,...
Definitions
- Good and important enough to spend time, effort,...
Ancestry of “worthwhile”, step by step
worthwhile traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English while
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | while | An uncertain duration of time, a period of time;... |
| 2 | Middle English | whyle | while |
| 3 | Old English | hwīl | time; while; while; time, while |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | hwīlu | period of rest, pause; time, period of time,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hwīlō | time, period of time, while; period of rest,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷyeh₁- | to rest; rest, peace |
via English worth
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | worth | Having a value of; proper to be exchanged for;... |
| 2 | Middle English | worth | to become |
| 3 | Old English | weorþ | worth, deserving; honoured, esteemed; worth,... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | werþaz | worthy, valuable |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wert- | to turn, to rotate |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |