weorþ

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *werþaz (“towards, opposite”), used substantively as a noun. Cognate with Old Frisian werth, Old Saxon werth, Old High German werd, German wert (adjective), Wert (noun), Dutch waard (adjective), Old Norse verðr (adjective), verð (noun) (Swedish värd), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐍃 (wairþs).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /we͜orθ/, [we͜orˠθ]

Adjective

weorþ (comparative weorþra, superlative weorþost or weorþust or weorþest or weorþast)

1. worth, deserving
2. honoured, esteemed

Usage notes

• In the first sense, when something's worth (e.g. financial value) is explicitly stated, it is often indicated with the genitive case: Þæt is twentiġ sċillinga weorð ("That's worth twenty shillings").

Declension

Declension of weorþ — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	weorþ	weorþ	weorþ
Accusative	weorþne	weorþe	weorþ
Genitive	weorþes	weorþre	weorþes
Dative	weorþum	weorþre	weorþum
Instrumental	weorþe	weorþre	weorþe
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	weorþe	weorþa, weorþe	weorþ
Accusative	weorþe	weorþa, weorþe	weorþ
Genitive	weorþra	weorþra	weorþra
Dative	weorþum	weorþum	weorþum
Instrumental	weorþum	weorþum	weorþum

Declension of weorþ — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	weorþa	weorþe	weorþe
Accusative	weorþan	weorþan	weorþe
Genitive	weorþan	weorþan	weorþan
Dative	weorþan	weorþan	weorþan
Instrumental	weorþan	weorþan	weorþan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	weorþan	weorþan	weorþan
Accusative	weorþan	weorþan	weorþan
Genitive	weorþra, weorþena	weorþra, weorþena	weorþra, weorþena
Dative	weorþum	weorþum	weorþum
Instrumental	weorþum	weorþum	weorþum

Noun

weorþ n (nominative plural weorþ)

1. worth, price, value
2. honour, dignity

Usage notes

• When buying, selling, etc. something at or for a certain price, the preposition mid is used with the instrumental case (or the dative in later Old English), not æt or for: Iċ ġebohte þrēo ċicenu mid healfe weorðe ("I bought three chickens for half-price").

Declension

Declension of weorþ (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	weorþ	weorþ
accusative	weorþ	weorþ
genitive	weorþes	weorþa
dative	weorþe	weorþum

Derived terms

• weorþfull
• weorþlēas
• weorþlīċ
• weorþmynd

Related terms

• weorþan
• weorþian
• weorþung

Descendants

• Middle English: worth
  • Scots: wirth
  • English: worth