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Added 9 October 2026

worry

/ˈwʌ.ɹi/ noun

In Latin: sollicitor Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about worry at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness.
New York traffic is a constant concern
A strong feeling of anxiety.
his worry over the prospect of being fired

verb

Be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy.
I worry about my job
Be concerned with.
I worry about my grades
Disturb the peace of mind of; afflict with mental agitation or distress.
I cannot sleep--my daughter's health is worrying me

Origin

From Middle English worien (“to choke, strangle”), from Old English wyrġan, from Proto-West Germanic *wurgijan, from Proto-Germanic *wurgijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *werǵʰ- (“bind, squeeze”). Cognate with Dutch worgen, wurgen, German würgen. Compare Latin urgere (“to press, push”), Sanskrit वृहति (vṛhati, “to tear out, pluck”), Lithuanian ver̃žti (“to string; squeeze”), Russian (poetic) отверза́ть (otverzátʹ, “to open”, literally “to untie”). Related to wring.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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