World Literally Means Age of Man
The world is the earth and everything on it. The Old English compound refers to human lifetimes, not to the planet.
The world is the earth with all its countries and peoples, or a particular sphere of activity. The word is a compound with a striking meaning: Old English *weorold* joins *wer*, a man, with *ald*, age — the age of man, meaning human existence as opposed to eternity. It began as a word about time, not about space. That is why *this world* contrasts with *the next* in religious language, a sense the original compound carried from the start.
- The earth and its peoples. *Around the world.*
- A sphere of activity. *The world of finance.*
- Wer — a man. *Wer.*
- Ald — age. *Ald.*
- Old English — *weorold*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | world | The world. |
| Plural | worlds | Worlds. |
| Adjective | worldly | Worldly. |
| Adjective | worldwide | Worldwide. |
| Old English | weorold | Age of man. |
- They travelled the world.Earth.
- The world of publishing.Sphere.
- Weorold meant the age of man.Etymology.
World phrases
- Out of this world — extraordinary
- Dead to the world — deeply asleep
- Worlds apart — utterly different
- Worldly — experienced in practical affairs, or not spiritual
- The world is your oyster — from Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor
Old English *weorold*, from *wer*, a man, plus a root meaning age, so the age or life of humanity.
What does world literally mean?
The age of man. It joins wer, meaning a man, with a word for age, and originally described human existence rather than the planet.
Why does worldly mean unspiritual?
From the original contrast between this world, the age of human life, and the eternity said to follow it.