Old English edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Germanic *werþōną. Equivalent to weorþ +‎ -ian.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈwe͜or.θi.ɑn/, [ˈwe͜orˠ.ði.ɑn]

Verb edit

weorþian

  1. to honour
  2. to worship
    • c. 1021, Wulfstan, Winchester Code of Cnut, article 5.1:
      Hǣðensċipe biþ þæt man dēofolġield weorðiġe, þæt is þæt man weorðiġe hǣðenu godu and sunnan oþþe mōnan, fȳr oþþe flōd, wæterwiellas oþþe stānas oþþe ǣniġes cynnes wudutreowu, oþþe wiċċecræft lufiġe oþþe morðweorc ġefremme on ǣniġe wisan, oþþe on blōte oþþe frihte, oþþe swelcra gedwimera ǣniġ þing drēoge.
      Worshiping idols is a kind of paganism, whether one worships heathen gods and the sun or the moon, or fire or flood, or wells or stones or any kind of forest trees, or if one loves witchcraft or commits murder in any way, either by sacrifice or by divination, or takes any part in similar delusions.
  3. to adorn, endow

Conjugation edit

Descendants edit

  • Middle English: worthien, wurthien