worship
✓ Reviewed by Allen · Oct 2026 · Origin: established · How we check entries
Meaning
The activity of showing respect and love for a god, for example by singing or praying
A strong feeling of respect and admiration for someone or something
To show respect and love for a god, for example by singing or praying
To love and admire someone very much
Usage
They attended a service of worship in the ancient cathedral.
He has an almost blind worship of his older brother.
Many people worship in different ways according to their faith.
Etymology
Origin: EstablishedReference works agree on this origin.
Worship comes from Old English weorþscipe, "worthiness, honour", made from weorþ, "worth", and -scipe, "-ship". At first it meant the respect shown to anyone worthy of it, such as a lord. From about 1300 it was used mainly for honour paid to God. The older sense survives in British titles such as "Your Worship" for a mayor or magistrate.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Old English origin. The modern form is a fusion of the Old English noun 'weorþscipe', meaning "condition of being worthy, honor, dignity". It is composed of 'weorþ' (worthy) + '-scipe' (-ship, a suffix forming nouns of state or condition), but these elements are not directly segmentable from the modern spelling 'worship'.