## Meanings
1. Good enough to deserve respect, attention, or a particular thing.
2. Having real value or merit.
3. An important or highly respected person.

## Examples
- Her courage made her worthy of the award.
- It is a worthy cause that deserves our support.
- The town's worthies gathered for the opening ceremony.

## Derived Forms
- markworthy
- noteworthy
- worthily
- worthiness

## Related Forms
- unworthy
- worthly

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: worthien
- Root: weorþian
- Root: *werþōną
- Root: *wert-

## Etymology
From Middle English worthien, wurthien, from Old English weorþian (“to esteem, honor, worship, distinguish, celebrate, exalt, praise, adorn, deck, enrich, reward”), from Proto-Germanic *werþōną (“to be worthy, estimate, appreciate, appraise”), from Proto-Indo-European *wert- (“to turn, wind”). Cognate with German werten (“to rate, judge, grade, score”), Swedish värdera (“to evaluate, rate, size up, assess, estimate”), Icelandic virða (“to respect, esteem”).

## AI Etymology
Worthy is from Middle English worthien, wurthien, from Old English weorþian (“to esteem, honor, worship, distinguish, celebrate, exalt, praise, adorn, deck, enrich, reward”), from Proto-Germanic *werþōną (“to be worthy, estimate, appreciate, appraise”), from Proto-Indo-European *wert- (“to turn, wind”). Cognate with German werten (“to rate, judge, grade, score”), Swedish värdera (“to evaluate, rate, size up, assess, estimate”), Icelandic virða (“to respect, esteem”). In present-day use, it can mean good enough to deserve respect, attention, or a particular thing, or having real value or merit.

## Topics
- People & Society

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