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Old English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Proto-West Germanic *weraldi, from Proto-Germanic *weraldiz, a compound of *weraz (man) +‎ *aldiz (age).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈwe͜o.rold/, [ˈwe͜o.roɫd]

Noun

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weorold f

  1. world
    • 10th century, The Wanderer:
      Forþon iċ ġeþenċan ne mæġ · ġeond þās woruld
      for hwan mōdsefa(n) · mīn(ne) ġesweorce
      Thus I cannot think over through this world
      why would (not) my heart darken
  2. existence, state of existence (often of mundane or worldly things, as opposed to spiritual)
  3. earthly things, temporal possessions
  4. men and things upon earth
  5. an age
    Synonym: ieldu
  6. a person's lifetime
    Þā menn wunodon ealla heora weorolda on synne
    Those people lived in sin for their entire lives
  7. the course of human affairs

Usage notes

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  • Typically used without the word for "the": Nis þæt ġerȳne hū weorold is, ac þæt hēo is ("The wonder is not how the world is, but that it is").

Declension

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Synonyms

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Descendants

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  • Middle English: world
    • English: world
    • Scots: warld