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world
/wɜːld/
the earth and all its inhabitants
The world is facing climate change challenges.
The planet Earth and all people living on it are dealing with climate-related issues.
general
the earth as a planet, including all its people and natural features
Satellites help us explore the world from space.
Technology enables us to study the Earth and its environments remotely.
She traveled around the world to study different cultures.
She visited many countries to learn about diverse ways of life.
Often used with 'the' (the world) but can be used without an article in certain contexts (e.g., 'World War II').
general
a particular group of people or area of activity
The business world is highly competitive.
The realm of commerce is characterized by intense rivalry.
In the digital world, coding skills are essential.
Within technology-focused industries, programming abilities are crucial.
Used in phrases like 'the business world,' 'the academic world,' or 'the online world' to refer to specific domains.
literary/philosophical
all human existence and experience
The novel explores the world of love and loss.
The story delves into the human experiences of affection and grief.
Often used metaphorically to describe a sphere of activity or interest.
Collocations
the whole worldevery part of the earthworld leadera person who holds significant global influenceworld recordthe best performance ever recorded in a specific activitythird worlddeveloping countries, often used in a political or economic context
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoid literal-only interpretations
When 'world' appears in phrases like 'the business world' or 'the digital world,' it refers to a specific domain or community, not the physical planet.
Gold Rule
Article usage
Use 'the' before 'world' when referring to the Earth ('the world we live on'), but omit it in fixed expressions like 'world peace' or 'world history.'
Word Origin
From Old English 'woruld' (human existence, life on earth), related to Old High German 'weralt' and Old Norse 'verold'. Ultimately from Proto-Germanic '*weraldiz' (age of man), combining '*wer' (man) and '*aldiz' (age).
Usage Notes
Commonly used in both literal (the Earth) and figurative (a sphere of activity) senses. The article 'the' is typically used ('the world'), but it can be omitted in certain fixed expressions (e.g., 'World War I').
Word Breakdown
world
human existence or the earth
rootEnglish Dictionary