worthy

[wur-thee]

adjective, wor·thi·er, wor·thi·est.

having adequate or great merit, character, or value: a worthy successor.
of commendable excellence or merit; deserving: a book worthy of praise; a person worthy to lead.

noun, plural wor·thies.

a person of eminent worth, merit, or position: The town worthies included two doctors.

Origin of worthy

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at worth¹, -y¹

Related formswor·thi·ly, adverbwor·thi·ness, nounpre·wor·thi·ly, adverbpre·wor·thi·ness, nounpre·wor·thy, adjective

Synonyms for worthy

2. meritorious, worthwhile, estimable, excellent, exemplary, righteous, upright, honorable.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for worthily

Historical Examples of worthily

She walked as if she went to meet the morning, and must salute it worthily.
Tiverton Tales
Alice Brown
Give me your hand, sir; it is occupied by you, and worthily and naturally.
The Life And Adventures Of Nicholas Nickleby
Charles Dickens
You may be worthily wedded in France, and I will take order for your safe going.
Two Penniless Princesses
Charlotte M. Yonge
You will at least be reposing your confidence where it will be worthily bestowed.
A Day's Ride
Charles James Lever
This is not to say that they will be worthily loved or loyally: there are two sides to a bargain.
Little Novels of Italy
Maurice Henry Hewlett

British Dictionary definitions for worthily

worthy

adjective -thier or -thiest

(postpositive; often foll by of or an infinitive) having sufficient merit or value (for something or someone specified); deserving
having worth, value, or merit

noun plural -thies

often facetious a person of distinguished character, merit, or importance

Derived Formsworthily, adverbworthiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for worthily

worthy

adj.

mid-13c., "having merit," from worth (n.) + -y (2). Old English had weorþful in this sense. Attested from c.1300 as a noun meaning "person of merit" (especially in Nine Worthies, famous men of history and legend: Joshua, David, Judas Maccabæus, Hector, Alexander, Julius Cæsar, Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon -- three Jews, three gentiles, three Christians).