weorþscipe

Weorþscipe is an Old English noun meaning worth, merit, value, or honor—the quality or state of being worthy. The form combines weorþ- “worth” with the abstract-noun suffix -scipe, a productive Germanic formation for states or qualities.

In usage, weorþscipe covers a range from personal merit and moral worth to the value of actions or objects. It appears in diverse Old English texts, including sermons, legal and religious prose, and poetry, where discussions of a person’s worth or the worthiness required for particular duties or grace are common. In religious contexts, the term can express the idea of worthiness before God or of moral fitness for certain rites.

The word reflects a broader medieval Germanic concern with moral and social value, linking character, reputation, and rightful conduct. As an abstract-noun formation, it is part of a family of -scipe words in Old English that convey states, conditions, or qualities, analogous to later English -ship in function, though with its own distinct Germanic lexicon.

Today, weorþscipe is primarily of historical and linguistic interest. When rendered into modern English, it is typically glossed as “worthiness” or “merit,” with possible nuances of honor or dignity depending on context. The term is studied in discussions of Old English vocabulary, ethical thought, and the grammar of abstract noun formation in early Germanic languages.