worldly en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈwɜː(ɹ)ldli/
Etymology
From Middle English worldly, worldlich, wordly (adjective), from Old English woruldlīċ, worldlīċ, weoroldlīċ (“worldly; earthly; temporal; mundane; secular”), from Proto-Germanic *weraldilīkaz, equivalent to world + -ly. Cognate with Dutch wereldlijk (“worldly; secular”), German Low German weltlik (“worldly”), German weltlich (“worldly”), Danish verdslig (“worldly”), Swedish världslig (“worldly”), Icelandic veraldlegur (“worldly; secular”).
Meanings
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Concerned with human or earthly matters, physical as opposed to spiritual.
We have actually contrived to invent a new kind of hypocrite. The old hypocrite, Tartuffe or Pecksniff, was a man whose aims were really worldly and practical, while he pretended that they were religious. The new hypocrite is one whose aims are really religious, while he pretends that they are worldly and practical.
1910, G. K. Chesterton, What's Wrong with the World, Chapter 1, part 3:1868, Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, Part Two, Chapter Twenty-four: Gossip, These attributes, in spite of poverty and the strict integrity which shut him out from the more worldly successes, attracted to him many admirable persons, as naturally as sweet herbs draw bees, and as naturally he gave them the honey into which fifty years of hard experience had distilled no bitter drop.
c. 1883-1896, Vyasa, Kisari Mohan Ganguli (translator), The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva, Section LXXXV, Thirst of enjoyment, therefore, should be given up. Indeed, true happiness belongeth to them that have cast off their thirst for worldly objects--a thirst which is difficult to be thrown off by the wicked and the sinful, which faileth not with the failing life, and which is truly the fatal disease of man.
The conviction that my personal, worldly life was something real and good constituted the misunderstanding, the obstacle, that prevented me from comprehending Jesus doctrine.
1889, Leo Tolstoy, chapter VIII, in Huntington Smith, transl., My Religion:
- Concerned with secular rather than sacred matters.
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Sophisticated, especially because of surfeit; versed in the ways of the world.
Homer and Marge have to try to explain things to children who are too worldly to fall for most excuses, the explanation trails off, and what could be a pleasant family outing to solve it all turns out to be yet another excuse for self-involvement when one public humiliation doesn’t outweigh the joys of getting busy in a windmill.
2016 January 24, Les Chappell, “TV: Review: The Simpsons (Classic), “Natural Born Kissers” (season nine, episode 25, originally aired 05/17/1998)”, in The Onion AV Club:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most worldly | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| worldliest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more worldly | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| worldlier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
spiritual · sacred · naive · otherworldly · religious · clerical
Relateds
Synonyms
material · unsanctified · temporal · sublunar · areligious · temporal · street-smart · irreligious · lay · profane · civil · mundane · unconsecrated · earthly · laicist · sophisticated · nonreligious · laicistic · profane · terrene · secular · worldly · mundane
Translations (85)
de weltgewandt (versed in the ways of the world) · he חילוני (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · fi maailmanmiesmäinen (versed in the ways of the world) · ar دُنْيَوِيّ (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · fi varmakäytöksinen (versed in the ways of the world) · ga domhanda (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · sv världslig (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · de weltlich (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · hi सांसारिक (versed in the ways of the world) · hi सांसारिक (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · enm worldly (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · gd saoghalta (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · fi mainen (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · ka ამქვეყნიური (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · fi maallinen (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · pl świecki (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · es profano (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · gd saoghalta (versed in the ways of the world) · ca terrenal (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · et ilmalik (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · fi kokenut (versed in the ways of the world) · ro lumesc (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · ca terrè (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · fr mondain (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · bg светски (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · ko 세속적 (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · fi sekulaarinen (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · fi maallinen (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · sv världsvan (versed in the ways of the world) · mk све́тски (versed in the ways of the world) · ru мирско́й (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · gd saoghalta (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · ru быва́лый (versed in the ways of the world) · hi लौकिक (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · nl seculier (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · tr dünyevi (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · enm worldly (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · enm worldly (versed in the ways of the world) · ca mundà (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · sv världslig (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · mk све́товен (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · nl wereldwijs (versed in the ways of the world) · mk спо́собен (versed in the ways of the world) · el κοσμικός (versed in the ways of the world) · es mundano (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · no verdensvant (versed in the ways of the world) · es mundanal (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · sv mondän (versed in the ways of the world) · tr dünyevi (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · es mundano (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · mk све́товен (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · pdt weltlich (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · pl laicki (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · it mondano (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · mk овозе́мски (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · de weltmännisch (versed in the ways of the world) · ru све́тский (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · el κοσμικός (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · et maine (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · hi भौमिक (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · hu anyagias (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · pt mundano (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · es cosmopolita (versed in the ways of the world) · he גשמי (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · ca mundà (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · hi लौकिक (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · nl materieel (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · eo monda (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · ar دُنْيَوِيّ (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · nl wereldlijk (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · mk и́скусен (versed in the ways of the world) · ka მიწიერი (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · es de mucho mundo (versed in the ways of the world) · ru земно́й (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · pdt weltlich (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · el κοσμικός (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · de weltlich (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · hu világi (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · mk е́рбап (versed in the ways of the world) · ru су́етный (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · ka საერო (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) · pl światowy (versed in the ways of the world) · ru о́пытный (versed in the ways of the world) · tl makamundo (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual) · bg материален (concerned with the human, earthly or physical rather than spiritual)