worldly
/ˈwɜː(ɹ)ldli/ · adj
Meaning
- Concerned with human or earthly matters, physical as opposed to spiritual.
- Concerned with secular rather than sacred matters.
- Sophisticated, especially because of surfeit; versed in the ways of the world.
- In a worldly manner.
Etymology / origin
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”).
- veraldlegur(Icelandic)→
- världslig(Swedish)→
- verdslig(Danish)→
- weltlich(German)→
- weltlik(nds-de)→
- wereldlijk(Dutch)→
- *weraldilīkaz(gem-pro)→
- woruldlīċ(ang)→
- worldly(Middle English)→
- worldly (English)
- Relations: inh, inh, inh, cog, cog, cog, cog, cog, cog
Related words
Descendant words
- verdslig(Danish) (cog)
- weltlich(Pennsylvania German) (cog)
Sources
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