'well-worn' originates from Old English components: 'wel' (Old English 'wel') and the past participle 'worn' of 'wear' (Old English 'werian'), where 'wel' meant 'well' and 'werian' meant 'to wear'.

'well-worn' changed from Middle English formations such as 'wel-worn' or phrases combining 'wel' + past participle of 'wear' and eventually became the modern hyphenated adjective 'well-worn'.

Initially it meant 'thoroughly worn' in a physical sense (i.e., very much used), but over time it also developed a figurative meaning of 'trite' or 'overused'.