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Worthy vs Adequate - What's the difference?

worthy | adequate | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between worthy and adequate

is that worthy is having worth, merit, or value while adequate is equal to some requirement; proportionate, or correspondent; fully sufficient; as, powers adequate to a great work; an adequate definition lawfully and physically sufficient.

As verbs the difference between worthy and adequate

is that worthy is to render or treat as worthy; exalt; revere; honour; esteem; respect; value; reward; adore while adequate is to equalize; to make adequate.

As a noun worthy

is a distinguished or eminent person.

worthy

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) worthy, wurthi, from (etyl) *.

Adjective

(er)
  • having worth, merit or value
  • * Shakespeare
    • These banished men that I have kept withal / Are men endued with worthy qualities.
  • * Sir J. Davies
    • This worthy' mind should ' worthy things embrace.
  • honourable or admirable
  • deserving, or having sufficient worth
  • Suited; befitting.
  • * Shakespeare
    • No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway.
  • * Bible, Matthew iii. 11
    • whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.
  • * Milton
    • And thou art worthy that thou shouldst not know / More happiness.
  • * Dryden
    • The lodging is well worthy of the guest.
    Derived terms
    * worthily * worthiness

    Noun

    (worthies)
  • a distinguished or eminent person

    • Related terms

    * -worthy * unworthy

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) worthien, wurthien, from (etyl) .

    Verb

  • To render or treat as worthy; exalt; revere; honour; esteem; respect; value; reward; adore.
    • And put upon him such a deal of man, That worthied him, got praises of the king [...]'' — Shakespeare, ''King Lear .
  • * 1880 , Sir Norman Lockyer, Nature :
    • After having duly paid his addresses to it, he generally spends some time on the marble slab in front of the looking-glass, but without showing the slightest emotion at the sight of his own reflection, or worthying it with a song.
  • * 1908 , Edward Arthur Brayley Hodgetts, The court of Russia in the nineteenth century :
    • And it is a poor daub besides," the Emperor rejoined scornfully, as he stalked out of the gallery without worthying the artist with a look.
  • * 1910 , Charles William Eliot, The Harvard classics: Beowulf :
    • No henchman he worthied by weapons, if witness his features, his peerless presence!
    Derived terms
    * (l) * (l) ----

    adequate

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Equal to some requirement; proportionate, or correspondent; fully sufficient; as, powers adequate to a great work; an adequate definition lawfully and physically sufficient.
  • * De Quincey
    • Ireland had no adequate champion.
  • * Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Empty House
    • All day, as I drove upon my round, I turned over the case in my mind and found no explanation which appeared to me to be adequate .

    Antonyms

    * inadequate

    Verb

    (adequat)
  • (obsolete) To equalize; to make adequate.
    • (Fotherby)
  • (obsolete) To equal.
    • It [is] an impossibility for any creature to adequate God in his eternity. — Shelford.