Unworthy
/ʌnˈwɜːr.ði/noun
Not deserving of respect, approval, or reward.
Did you know?Unworthy is an old English compound built from the negating prefix un- and worthy, a word tied to worth, value, and what was once considered fitting or due to a person’s rank.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
unweorþig
“not worthy; not deserving”
Old English
OE
weorþ
“worth, value, dignity; also honorable, esteemed”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*werþaz
“valuable, worthy”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wer-
“to turn, bend; to be of value / to be worthy (reconstructed root underlying Germanic worth- words)”
Middle English
ME
unworthi
“not worthy; undeserving”
Modern English
English
unworthy
“not worthy; lacking merit or fitness”