worth

The word “worth” means having a particular value, or deserving of something. In plain terms, how valuable or deserving something is.

“Worth” is pronounced wurth (/wɝθ/ in IPA).

Here is “worth” used in a sentence: “This painting is worth a small fortune.”

Depending on how it is used, “worth” can be an adjective and a noun.

The word “worth” comes from Old English. From Old English weorþ, meaning "valuable" or "worthy" — the same root behind "worthy" and "worship.".

“Worth” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Worth” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a particular value, or deserving of something.

'Worth' states value or deserving directly and is followed by a noun — 'the house is worth a fortune,' 'it's worth a try.' 'Worthy' means deserving respect or merit and is often followed by 'of' — 'a worthy cause,' 'worthy of praise.' Worth measures value; worthy judges merit.

Saying something is 'worth it' means the benefit, reward, or satisfaction justifies the cost, effort, or risk involved. If a long climb gives a stunning view, people say the effort was worth it. It weighs what you give against what you get and judges the trade a good one.

You can say 'the painting is worth thousands' to state its value, or 'this book is worth reading' to say it deserves your time. 'A moment worth remembering' means one deserving to be kept in mind. In each case, 'worth' links something to the value or merit it holds.