'worrywart' originates from American English, specifically from the comic strip character 'Worry Wart' in the 1950s, where 'worry' meant 'to feel anxious' and 'wart' was used humorously to denote a person.

'Worry Wart' was a character in the comic strip 'Out Our Way' by J.R. Williams, which eventually led to the modern English term 'worrywart' to describe someone who worries excessively.

Initially, it referred to a comic character, but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a person who worries excessively'.