Английский Этимологический словарь - worth (1)

- O.E. weorр "equal in value to," from P.Gmc. *werthaz, perhaps from PIE base *wer- "turn." Worthless is first attested 1588; worthwhile is recorded from 1884; worthy is c.1250 as an adj. meaning "having merit," c.1390 as a noun meaning "person of merit" (esp. in Nine Worthies, famous men of history and legend: Joshua, David, Judas Maccabжus, Hector, Alexander, Julius Cжsar, Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon -- three Jews, three gentiles, three Christians).