'worthiness' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'weorðnes,' where 'weorð' meant 'worth' and '-nes' was a suffix indicating a state or condition.

'weorðnes' changed from Old English to Middle English as 'worthinesse' and eventually became the modern English word 'worthiness'.

Initially, it meant 'the state of being worthy,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.