English Explanatory Dictionary

worrywart

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A person who worries excessively, especially about unimportant matters.

Pronunciation

/ˈwʌɹ.ɪˌwɔːt/ /ˈwʌɹ.iˌwɔːt/ en-au-worrywart.ogg /ˈwʌɹ.iˌwoɹt/ en-us-ne-worrywart.ogg /ˈwɚ.iˌwoɹt/ en-us-worrywart.ogg

Word forms

worrywart worrywarts worry wart worry-wart

Etymology

From worry + wart, apparently chosen for alliteration. Presumably related to earlier worryguts. Attested 1956, but earlier examples are found in newspapers of the 1930s and 1940s.

Synonyms

bundle of nerves worrier bag of nerves jitterbug nervous Nellie nervous wreck neurotic obsessive tightass wiener worryguts worrywart

Related words

pessimist OCD hypochondriac
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on W Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary