- (postpositive; often followed by of or an infinitive)
having sufficient merit or value (for something or someone specified); deserving having worth, value, or merit
a person of distinguished character, merit, or importance
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
wor•thy /ˈwɜrði/USA pronunciation
adj., -thi•er, -thi•est, n., pl. -thies.
adj.
n. [countable]
wor•thi•ness, n. [uncountable]
-worthy, suffix.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025adj.
- having merit, character, or value:a worthy opponent.
- deserving:an effort worthy of praise.
n. [countable]
- a person of worth.
wor•thi•ness, n. [uncountable]
-worthy, suffix.
-
- -worthy is used to form adjectives with the meaning "deserving of, fit for'':news + -worthy → newsworthy (= fit for the news);trust + -worthy → trustworthy.
- -worthy is also used with the meaning "capable of travel in or on'':road + -worthy → roadworthy (= capable of traveling on the road);seaworthy.
wor•thy
(wûr′ᵺē),USA pronunciation adj., -thi•er, -thi•est, n., pl. -thies.
adj.
n.
wor′thi•ly, adv.
wor′thi•ness, n.
-worthy,
adj.
- 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.
n.
- a person of eminent worth, merit, or position:The town worthies included two doctors.
- 1175–1225; Middle English; see worth1, -y1
wor′thi•ness, n.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged meritorious, worthwhile, estimable, excellent, exemplary, righteous, upright, honorable.
-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.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'be worthy of' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):