worthy
[ wur-thee ]
/ ˈwɜr ði /
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.
Nearby words
worthing, worthington, worthless, worthlessly, worthwhile, worthy, worthy of the name, wot, wotan, wotcher, wotton
SYNONYMS FOR worthy
Related forms
Definition for worthy (2 of 2)
-worthy
a combining form of worthy, occurring in adjectives that have the general sense “deserving of, fit for” (blameworthy; newsworthy; noteworthy; trustworthy), “capable of travel in or on” (airworthy; roadworthy; seaworthy), as specified by the first word of the compound.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for worthy
British Dictionary definitions for worthy
worthy
/ (ˈwɜːðɪ) /
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
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Word Origin and History for worthy
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).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper