An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Wert
Wert (1.), masculine, equivalent to Werder, ‘river island.’
Wert (2.), masculine, ‘worth, value, price,’ from the equivalent Middle High German wërt (d), Old High German wërd, neuter, ‘price, costly articles, splendour’; compare Old Saxon wërð, ‘hero, reward,’ Gothic waírþs, ‘worth, price'; an adjective used as a substantive. Based on the adjective wert, ‘worth, dear,’ from Middle High German wërt (d), Old High German wërd, ‘costing a certain price, saleable at,’ then absolutely ‘of high worth, splendid, distinguished.’ Corresponding to Gothic waírþs, ‘worthy, fit,’ Anglo-Saxon weorþ, and English worth. On account of its meaning its connection with werden is improbable. Lithuanian wertas and Old Slovenian vrĕdŭ, with which it is sometimes compared, are probably Teutonic loanwords. It may be related to the Aryan root wor, ‘to regard, contemplate’ (see wahren), of which wert might be a participle derivative in the sense of ‘esteemed'; see also Ware.