world

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world human existence or a period of it; the earth, the universe; the human race, human society. OE. weorold, wor(o)ld = OS. werold (Du. wereld), OHG. weralt (G. welt), ON. verǫld; Gmc., f. *weraz man (OE., OS., OHG. wer, cogn. with L. vir) + *alð- age (cf. OLD), the etym. meaning being, therefore, ‘age’ or ‘life of man’.
Hence worldling (-LING1) XVI. worldly OE. woruldliċ; see -LY1.

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