What does worthing mean?
Worthing is a rare English word associated with value, merit, and worthiness. As a noun, its usual meaning is the worth or value of something, as in a discussion of the true worthing of a sacrifice or principle. In an older countable sense, it can refer to a person or thing regarded as worthy or valuable. As an adjective, worthing means worthy or valuable and is often used in constructions such as being worthing of trust or admiration. The word has a markedly literary, archaic, or devotional tone and is unlikely to appear in ordinary contemporary prose unless a writer is deliberately using elevated language. It should not be confused with the much more familiar base word worth. Derived from worth, it also connects linguistically with worthy, worthwhile, and unworthy, forming part of a family concerned with value and deserved regard.
The worth, value, or importance of something; more rarely, something worthy or valuable.
"The full worthing of the discovery was not understood at first."
The abstract sense is normally uncountable. A countable plural, worthings, belongs to the older sense of valuable or worthy things.
Worthy of esteem, attention, or admiration; valuable.
"Her courage was worthing of every tribute offered."
Archaic and literary; often used predicatively after a linking verb.
The common abstract sense has no regular plural; worthings is limited to the rare countable sense of worthy or valuable things.
"The old catalogue described each of the bindings among the collection's few worthings."
Worthing reaches back to Old English weorþ, the ancestral source of worthy, worthwhile, and unworthy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of worthing
Worthing was formed in English by adding the suffix -ing to worth. Worth comes from Old English weorþ, meaning value or price, which in turn descends from Proto-Germanic and ultimately from a wider Indo-European root associated with value. The same English root produced worthy, worthwhile, and unworthy, while related cognates appear in languages such as German.
How worthing is actually used
Worthing is uncommon and generally literary, archaic, or devotional in tone. The noun most often appears in abstract constructions such as the worthing of something, while the adjective commonly means worthy of something.
Easily confused with worthing
Worth is the base word from which worthing is derived; worthing is a rare derived form meaning value or worthiness.
Worshiping means revering and venerating a deity or person, whereas worthing concerns value, worthiness, or the quality of being worthy.