the word timeworn is a transparent compound formed from two native english elements. the first element, time, derives from the old english noun tīma, which referred to a period, season, or occasion. the second element, worn, is the past participle of the old english verb werian, meaning to wear, carry, or use. the literal combination, meaning worn by time, creates a vivid image of an object eroded or diminished through the simple, relentless passage of years. this concrete sense naturally extended metaphorically to describe abstract concepts like ideas or phrases that have become stale and ineffective through overuse.

Structure: time (period) + worn (damaged) time (old english 'tīma', of germanic origin; noun, indicating a period or duration). worn (past participle of old english 'werian', meaning to wear or carry; adjective-forming suffix, indicating a state of having been used or damaged).