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worthy

[wur-th ee]
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adjective, wor·thi·er, wor·thi·est.
  1. having adequate or great merit, character, or value: a worthy successor.
  2. of commendable excellence or merit; deserving: a book worthy of praise; a person worthy to lead.
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noun, plural wor·thies.
  1. a person of eminent worth, merit, or position: The town worthies included two doctors.
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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

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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

  • 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.

  • 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
  1. (postpositive; often foll by of or an infinitive) having sufficient merit or value (for something or someone specified); deserving
  2. having worth, value, or merit
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noun plural -thies
  1. often facetious a person of distinguished character, merit, or importance
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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).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper