worthy
- 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.
- a person of eminent worth, merit, or position: The town worthies included two doctors.
Origin of worthy
Synonyms for worthy
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 TalesAlice Brown
Give me your hand, sir; it is occupied by you, and worthily and naturally.
The Life And Adventures Of Nicholas NicklebyCharles Dickens
You may be worthily wedded in France, and I will take order for your safe going.
Two Penniless PrincessesCharlotte M. Yonge
You will at least be reposing your confidence where it will be worthily bestowed.
A Day's RideCharles 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 ItalyMaurice Henry Hewlett
worthy
- (postpositive; often foll by of or an infinitive) having sufficient merit or value (for something or someone specified); deserving
- having worth, value, or merit
- often facetious a person of distinguished character, merit, or importance
Word Origin and History for worthily
worthy
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).