werthaltig

Werthaltig is a German adjective that means having value or being valuable. It is used to describe objects or items that possess intrinsic or monetary value and, in some contexts, to indicate that something is worthwhile or worthy of attention. In modern language, more common synonyms are wertvoll or kostbar, while werthaltig tends to appear in more formal, literary, or historical contexts, such as catalog descriptions, auctions, or scholarly writing.

Etymology and orthography play a role in how the word appears in texts. It derives from Wert (value) with the suffix -haltig, which indicates that something “holds” value. Historically, the form appeared as Werthaltig in older orthography with the letters th, reflecting earlier German spelling practices. After spelling reforms, the form with Wert became standard in most modern texts, while werthaltig remains a recognized, albeit rarer, variant in historical sources.

Usage notes and examples help clarify its nuance. The term is commonly applied to tangible items with recognized value, such as ein werthaltiges Gemälde (a valuable painting) or werthaltige Münzen (valuable coins). It can also appear in a broader, more figurative sense to signal the importance or worthiness of evidence, documents, or proposals, though such uses may sound more formal or antiquated. In everyday German, readers are more likely to encounter wertvoll or bedeutsam for similar meanings.

See also Wert, Werth (archaic form of value), wertvoll, kostbar.