worth English · revision 3484

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /wɜːθ/, US /wɝːθ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|value}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 695 (Old English weorþ)|origins=gem-pro *werþaz}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The value is [[inh|enm|worth]], [[inh|ang|weorþ|t=of a specified value; worthy, valued, honourable]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[gem-pro|*werþaz]],^(Etymonline) which is of uncertain origin;^(Etymonline) Boutkan finds no Indo-European etymology for it.^(Etymonline) Its cognates include [[ofs|werth]], [[osx|werth]], [[nl|waard]], [[de|wert]] and [[non|verðr]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966) and Gothic has wairþs.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) Old Church Slavonic vrědŭ and Lithuanian vertas “worth” are thought to be borrowings from Germanic.^(Etymonline) The noun is Old English [[m|ang|weorþ|t=value, price]], a noun use of the adjective.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of the value of a specified amount: Old English ''weorþ'', recorded before 695.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) The noun, “monetary value, price”, is from about 825.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old English also used the adjective for “suitable, proper” and “deserving”.^(Etymonline) As a quasi-preposition, “equivalent to, of the value of”, it is from about 1200.^(Etymonline) The noun meant “excellence, nobility” from about 1200,^(Etymonline) the relative value of a thing from 1340,^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) and personal merit from 1591.^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) “Having wealth amounting to” is from 1460,^(HTOED) and ''worth'' as a person's wealth or property by the 1590s.^(Etymonline) ''For what it's worth'' is by 1872, and ''for all it's worth'', “to the fullest extent”, by 1874, perhaps a gambler's phrase.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 695 – Old English ''weorþ'', of the value of.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 825 – noun, price, value.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1200 – noun, excellence.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1340 – noun, relative value.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1460 – possessing (so much) wealth.^(HTOED)

+ * 1591 – noun, personal merit.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1872 – ''for what it's worth''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Equal in value to; having a [[value]] of.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Deserving of; meriting: ''worth a visit''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Having wealth amounting to.^(AHD)^(HTOED)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The quality that makes something valuable or useful.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Market value; the amount that a given sum will buy: ''a dollar's worth''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Wealth, riches.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Merit, excellence of character.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[worthless]]

+ * [[worthwhile]]

+ * [[worthy]]

+ * [[pennyworth]]

+ * [[net worth]]

+ * [[self-worth]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|befall}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1100 (Old English weorþan)|origins=ine-pro *wer-}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb is [[inh|enm|worthen|t=to come to be]], [[inh|ang|weorþan|t=to become, to befall]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) from [[gem-pro|*werþaną|t=to become]], literally “to turn into”.^(Etymonline) Its cognates include [[osx|werthan]], [[non|verða]], [[nl|worden]] and [[de|werden]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966) and Gothic has wairþan.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) Watkins traces it to [[ine-pro|*wer-|t=to turn, bend]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) the root of Latin [[m|la|vertere|t=to turn]] and Sanskrit vartate “turns”.^(MW Collegiate)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To come to be, to befall: Old English ''weorþan'', a very common verb.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) The Trinity Homilies of about 1200 have ''Wurðe þi wil on eorðe swa hit is on heuene''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb went out of general use, surviving only in the archaic phrase ''woe worth the day'', “evil befall the day”, where ''worth'' is a present subjunctive;^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) ''woe worth'' is recorded from the late 13th century.^(Etymonline) In Scots and Yorkshire dialect ''worth'' “to become” survived into the 19th century.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – Middle English ''wurðe'' (Trinity Homilies).^(Etymonline)

+ * late 13th century – ''woe worth''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(archaic)'' To befall; to [[betide]]: ''woe worth the day''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[weird]]

+ * [[verse]]

+ * [[convert]]

+ * [[-ward]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate Old English ''worþ'', “an enclosed place, homestead”, of unknown origin, is recorded chiefly in place-names such as those ending in ''-worth''.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}