"world" meaning in Middle English

See world in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /wurld/, /wɔrld/, /wɛrld/, /warld/ [Norfolk, Northern, especially] (note: late), /ˈwurdəl/, /ˈwurdlə/ (note: East Anglia, Kent, Southern, Southwest Midlands)
Etymology: Inherited from Old English weorold, from Proto-West Germanic *weraldi, from Proto-Germanic *weraldiz. Etymology templates: {{etymon|enm|:inh|ang:weorold<id:world>|id=Q2}}, {{yesno||i|I}} I, {{glossary|Inherited}} Inherited, {{inh|enm|ang|weorold|||g=|g2=|g3=|id=|lit=|nocat=|pos=|sc=|sort=|tr=|ts=}} Old English weorold, {{inh+|enm|ang|weorold}} Inherited from Old English weorold, {{inh|enm|gmw-pro|*weraldi}} Proto-West Germanic *weraldi, {{inh|enm|gem-pro|*weraldiz}} Proto-Germanic *weraldiz Head templates: {{head|enm|noun|g=|g2=|g3=|head=|sort=}} world, {{enm-noun|pl=worldes}} world (plural worldes) Forms: worldes [plural], werld [alternative], werlde [alternative], woreld [alternative], worlde [alternative], wourld [alternative], wurld [alternative], wereld [alternative, Early-Middle-English], weoreld [alternative, Early-Middle-English], worild [alternative, Early-Middle-English], woruld [alternative, Early-Middle-English], werelld [alternative, Ormulum], weorelld [alternative, Ormulum], wordel [alternative], wordele [alternative], wordell [alternative], wordelle [alternative], wordl [alternative], wordle [alternative], wordulle [alternative], wordyl [alternative], wordyll [alternative], werdl [alternative, Norfolk], warld [alternative, Northern, especially], warlde [alternative, Northern, especially], wharld [alternative, Northern, especially]
  1. The world, the planet (i.e., Earth) Categories (place): Earth
    Sense id: en-world-enm-noun-YAkdp2jW Disambiguation of Earth: 57 0 10 16 17 0 0
  2. A dimension, realm, or existence, especially human existence.
    Sense id: en-world-enm-noun-W7ucBVBa
  3. The trappings and features of the world or human life:
    Sense id: en-world-enm-noun-d1RwlbEa Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Space Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 1 3 20 28 32 13 2 Disambiguation of Space: 0 0 22 35 38 5 0
  4. The trappings and features of the world or human life:
    The nations or polities of the world.
    Sense id: en-world-enm-noun-ADpqbITM Categories (other): Pages with 3 entries, Pages with entries, Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Space Disambiguation of Pages with 3 entries: 5 1 0 11 10 4 4 0 2 0 4 3 1 7 7 1 1 3 3 1 0 0 6 11 10 2 0 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 3 1 0 11 10 3 3 0 3 0 4 3 1 7 8 1 1 4 3 1 0 0 7 11 12 3 0 Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 1 3 20 28 32 13 2 Disambiguation of Space: 0 0 22 35 38 5 0
  5. The trappings and features of the world or human life:
    The people of the world (especially when judging someone).
    Sense id: en-world-enm-noun-uQxgfjnf Categories (other): Pages with 3 entries, Pages with entries, Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Collectives, Space Disambiguation of Pages with 3 entries: 5 1 0 11 10 4 4 0 2 0 4 3 1 7 7 1 1 3 3 1 0 0 6 11 10 2 0 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 3 1 0 11 10 3 3 0 3 0 4 3 1 7 8 1 1 4 3 1 0 0 7 11 12 3 0 Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 1 3 20 28 32 13 2 Disambiguation of Collectives: 3 3 19 29 37 7 3 Disambiguation of Space: 0 0 22 35 38 5 0
  6. An age, era or epoch.
    Sense id: en-world-enm-noun-WZWmuuyQ Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Time Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 1 3 20 28 32 13 2 Disambiguation of Time: 0 4 0 0 0 93 4
  7. The universe, the totality of existence.
    Sense id: en-world-enm-noun-hk2FYam0
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: worlderiche, worldly
Categories (other): Government Disambiguation of Government: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Alternative forms

{
  "categories": [
    {
      "_dis": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "kind": "other",
      "langcode": "enm",
      "name": "Government",
      "orig": "enm:Government",
      "parents": [],
      "source": "w+disamb"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "world"
    },
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "warld"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "Middle Scots",
      "lang_code": "gmw-msc",
      "word": "warld"
    },
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "warld"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "Middle Scots",
      "lang_code": "gmw-msc",
      "word": "wardill"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "ang:weorold<id:world>",
        "id": "Q2"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "etymon"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "",
        "2": "i",
        "3": "I"
      },
      "expansion": "I",
      "name": "yesno"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "Inherited"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "weorold",
        "4": "",
        "5": "",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "id": "",
        "lit": "",
        "nocat": "",
        "pos": "",
        "sc": "",
        "sort": "",
        "tr": "",
        "ts": ""
      },
      "expansion": "Old English weorold",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "weorold"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited from Old English weorold",
      "name": "inh+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*weraldi"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *weraldi",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*weraldiz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *weraldiz",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Inherited from Old English weorold, from Proto-West Germanic *weraldi, from Proto-Germanic *weraldiz.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "worldes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "werld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "werlde",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "woreld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "worlde",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wourld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wurld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wereld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Early-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "weoreld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Early-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "worild",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Early-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "woruld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Early-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "werelld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Ormulum"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "weorelld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Ormulum"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordel",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordele",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordell",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordelle",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordl",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordle",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordulle",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordyl",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordyll",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "werdl",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Norfolk"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "warld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern",
        "especially"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "warlde",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern",
        "especially"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wharld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern",
        "especially"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "world",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "pl": "worldes"
      },
      "expansion": "world (plural worldes)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "worlderiche"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "worldly"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "57 0 10 16 17 0 0",
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Earth",
          "orig": "enm:Earth",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              13,
              18
            ],
            [
              26,
              31
            ],
            [
              56,
              61
            ]
          ],
          "bold_translation_offsets": [
            [
              14,
              19
            ],
            [
              28,
              33
            ],
            [
              59,
              64
            ]
          ],
          "english": "He was in the world and the world was made by him, but the world didn't know him.",
          "ref": "c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.), published c. 1410, Joon 1:10, folio 44, recto, column 2; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:",
          "text": "He was in þe woꝛld · ⁊ þe woꝛld was maad bi him .· ⁊ þe woꝛld knew him not",
          "translation": "He was in the world and the world was made by him, but the world didn't know him.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The world, the planet (i.e., Earth)"
      ],
      "id": "en-world-enm-noun-YAkdp2jW",
      "links": [
        [
          "world",
          "world#English"
        ],
        [
          "planet",
          "planet"
        ],
        [
          "Earth",
          "Earth"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              17,
              22
            ]
          ],
          "bold_translation_offsets": [
            [
              21,
              26
            ]
          ],
          "english": "Pain and joy in this world aren't anything except for a picture; they're nothing but a mirage.",
          "ref": "c. 1225, “Feorðe dale: fondunges”, in Ancrene Ƿiſſe (MS. Corpus Christi 402), Ludlow, Shropshire, published c. 1235, folio 65, verso; republished at Cambridge: Parker Library on the Web, 6 January 2018:",
          "text": "Ƿa ⁊ ƿunne ı þıs ƿoꝛld al nıs bute peintunge. al nıs bute ſchadeƿe.",
          "translation": "Pain and joy in this world aren't anything except for a picture; they're nothing but a mirage.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A dimension, realm, or existence, especially human existence."
      ],
      "id": "en-world-enm-noun-W7ucBVBa",
      "links": [
        [
          "dimension",
          "dimension"
        ],
        [
          "realm",
          "realm"
        ],
        [
          "existence",
          "existence"
        ],
        [
          "human",
          "human"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "1 3 20 28 32 13 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "0 0 22 35 38 5 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Space",
          "orig": "enm:Space",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              66,
              72
            ]
          ],
          "bold_translation_offsets": [
            [
              70,
              84
            ]
          ],
          "english": "But those who have their hearts inspired by God, who don't praise the world('s ways) even a bit and who don't fear kings, earls, […]",
          "ref": "c. 1340, Dan Michel, “Vridom”, in Ayenbite of Inwyt, page 86:",
          "text": "Ac hy habbeþ hire heꝛten zuo areꝛed ine god: þet hi ne pꝛayſeþ þe woꝛdle: bote ane botoun. and hi ne dredeþ kyng. ne eꝛl.[…]",
          "translation": "But those who have their hearts inspired by God, who don't praise the world('s ways) even a bit and who don't fear kings, earls, […]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The trappings and features of the world or human life"
      ],
      "id": "en-world-enm-noun-d1RwlbEa",
      "links": [
        [
          "trapping",
          "trapping"
        ],
        [
          "feature",
          "feature"
        ],
        [
          "world",
          "world#English"
        ],
        [
          "human",
          "human"
        ],
        [
          "life",
          "life"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "The trappings and features of the world or human life:"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "5 1 0 11 10 4 4 0 2 0 4 3 1 7 7 1 1 3 3 1 0 0 6 11 10 2 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 3 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "3 1 0 11 10 3 3 0 3 0 4 3 1 7 8 1 1 4 3 1 0 0 7 11 12 3 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "1 3 20 28 32 13 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "0 0 22 35 38 5 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Space",
          "orig": "enm:Space",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The trappings and features of the world or human life:",
        "The nations or polities of the world."
      ],
      "id": "en-world-enm-noun-ADpqbITM",
      "links": [
        [
          "trapping",
          "trapping"
        ],
        [
          "feature",
          "feature"
        ],
        [
          "world",
          "world#English"
        ],
        [
          "human",
          "human"
        ],
        [
          "life",
          "life"
        ],
        [
          "nation",
          "nation"
        ],
        [
          "polities",
          "polity"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "5 1 0 11 10 4 4 0 2 0 4 3 1 7 7 1 1 3 3 1 0 0 6 11 10 2 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 3 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "3 1 0 11 10 3 3 0 3 0 4 3 1 7 8 1 1 4 3 1 0 0 7 11 12 3 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "1 3 20 28 32 13 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "3 3 19 29 37 7 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Collectives",
          "orig": "enm:Collectives",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "0 0 22 35 38 5 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Space",
          "orig": "enm:Space",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The trappings and features of the world or human life:",
        "The people of the world (especially when judging someone)."
      ],
      "id": "en-world-enm-noun-uQxgfjnf",
      "links": [
        [
          "trapping",
          "trapping"
        ],
        [
          "feature",
          "feature"
        ],
        [
          "world",
          "world#English"
        ],
        [
          "human",
          "human"
        ],
        [
          "life",
          "life"
        ],
        [
          "people",
          "people"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "1 3 20 28 32 13 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "0 4 0 0 0 93 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Time",
          "orig": "enm:Time",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An age, era or epoch."
      ],
      "id": "en-world-enm-noun-WZWmuuyQ",
      "links": [
        [
          "age",
          "age"
        ],
        [
          "era",
          "era"
        ],
        [
          "epoch",
          "epoch"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              73,
              78
            ]
          ],
          "bold_translation_offsets": [
            [
              74,
              79
            ]
          ],
          "english": "This Pluto was the greatest thief and the most lecherous being in all the world, and he had a giant called Cerberus with him.",
          "ref": "1471 September 28 [1464], Raoul le ffeure, translated by Willyam Caxton, [T]he recuyell of the hiſtoryes of Troye, [London], translation of Le recueil de histoires de Troye (in Middle French), published c. 1474; republished by H. Oskar Sommer, editorvolume II, London: David Nutt, 1894, →OCLC, leaf 160:",
          "text": "this pluto was the gretteſt theef and the moſte lecherous man of all the world And had with hym a geant named Cerberus .",
          "translation": "This Pluto was the greatest thief and the most lecherous being in all the world, and he had a giant called Cerberus with him.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The universe, the totality of existence."
      ],
      "id": "en-world-enm-noun-hk2FYam0",
      "links": [
        [
          "universe",
          "universe"
        ],
        [
          "existence",
          "existence"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/wurld/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/wɔrld/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/wɛrld/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/warld/",
      "note": "late",
      "tags": [
        "Norfolk",
        "Northern",
        "especially"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwurdəl/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwurdlə/",
      "note": "East Anglia, Kent, Southern, Southwest Midlands"
    }
  ],
  "word": "world"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English nouns",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old English",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
    "Middle English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂el- (grow)",
    "Middle English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *weyh₁-",
    "Middle English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *wiHrós",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Old English",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
    "Middle English terms with quotations",
    "Pages with 3 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "enm:Collectives",
    "enm:Earth",
    "enm:Government",
    "enm:Space",
    "enm:Time"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "world"
    },
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "warld"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "Middle Scots",
      "lang_code": "gmw-msc",
      "word": "warld"
    },
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "warld"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "Middle Scots",
      "lang_code": "gmw-msc",
      "word": "wardill"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "ang:weorold<id:world>",
        "id": "Q2"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "etymon"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "",
        "2": "i",
        "3": "I"
      },
      "expansion": "I",
      "name": "yesno"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "Inherited"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "weorold",
        "4": "",
        "5": "",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "id": "",
        "lit": "",
        "nocat": "",
        "pos": "",
        "sc": "",
        "sort": "",
        "tr": "",
        "ts": ""
      },
      "expansion": "Old English weorold",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "weorold"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited from Old English weorold",
      "name": "inh+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*weraldi"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *weraldi",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*weraldiz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *weraldiz",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Inherited from Old English weorold, from Proto-West Germanic *weraldi, from Proto-Germanic *weraldiz.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "worldes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "werld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "werlde",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "woreld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "worlde",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wourld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wurld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wereld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Early-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "weoreld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Early-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "worild",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Early-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "woruld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Early-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "werelld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Ormulum"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "weorelld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Ormulum"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordel",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordele",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordell",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordelle",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordl",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordle",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordulle",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordyl",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wordyll",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "werdl",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Norfolk"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "warld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern",
        "especially"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "warlde",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern",
        "especially"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wharld",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern",
        "especially"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "world",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "pl": "worldes"
      },
      "expansion": "world (plural worldes)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "worlderiche"
    },
    {
      "word": "worldly"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              13,
              18
            ],
            [
              26,
              31
            ],
            [
              56,
              61
            ]
          ],
          "bold_translation_offsets": [
            [
              14,
              19
            ],
            [
              28,
              33
            ],
            [
              59,
              64
            ]
          ],
          "english": "He was in the world and the world was made by him, but the world didn't know him.",
          "ref": "c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.), published c. 1410, Joon 1:10, folio 44, recto, column 2; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:",
          "text": "He was in þe woꝛld · ⁊ þe woꝛld was maad bi him .· ⁊ þe woꝛld knew him not",
          "translation": "He was in the world and the world was made by him, but the world didn't know him.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The world, the planet (i.e., Earth)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "world",
          "world#English"
        ],
        [
          "planet",
          "planet"
        ],
        [
          "Earth",
          "Earth"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              17,
              22
            ]
          ],
          "bold_translation_offsets": [
            [
              21,
              26
            ]
          ],
          "english": "Pain and joy in this world aren't anything except for a picture; they're nothing but a mirage.",
          "ref": "c. 1225, “Feorðe dale: fondunges”, in Ancrene Ƿiſſe (MS. Corpus Christi 402), Ludlow, Shropshire, published c. 1235, folio 65, verso; republished at Cambridge: Parker Library on the Web, 6 January 2018:",
          "text": "Ƿa ⁊ ƿunne ı þıs ƿoꝛld al nıs bute peintunge. al nıs bute ſchadeƿe.",
          "translation": "Pain and joy in this world aren't anything except for a picture; they're nothing but a mirage.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A dimension, realm, or existence, especially human existence."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "dimension",
          "dimension"
        ],
        [
          "realm",
          "realm"
        ],
        [
          "existence",
          "existence"
        ],
        [
          "human",
          "human"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              66,
              72
            ]
          ],
          "bold_translation_offsets": [
            [
              70,
              84
            ]
          ],
          "english": "But those who have their hearts inspired by God, who don't praise the world('s ways) even a bit and who don't fear kings, earls, […]",
          "ref": "c. 1340, Dan Michel, “Vridom”, in Ayenbite of Inwyt, page 86:",
          "text": "Ac hy habbeþ hire heꝛten zuo areꝛed ine god: þet hi ne pꝛayſeþ þe woꝛdle: bote ane botoun. and hi ne dredeþ kyng. ne eꝛl.[…]",
          "translation": "But those who have their hearts inspired by God, who don't praise the world('s ways) even a bit and who don't fear kings, earls, […]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The trappings and features of the world or human life"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "trapping",
          "trapping"
        ],
        [
          "feature",
          "feature"
        ],
        [
          "world",
          "world#English"
        ],
        [
          "human",
          "human"
        ],
        [
          "life",
          "life"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "The trappings and features of the world or human life:"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The trappings and features of the world or human life:",
        "The nations or polities of the world."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "trapping",
          "trapping"
        ],
        [
          "feature",
          "feature"
        ],
        [
          "world",
          "world#English"
        ],
        [
          "human",
          "human"
        ],
        [
          "life",
          "life"
        ],
        [
          "nation",
          "nation"
        ],
        [
          "polities",
          "polity"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The trappings and features of the world or human life:",
        "The people of the world (especially when judging someone)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "trapping",
          "trapping"
        ],
        [
          "feature",
          "feature"
        ],
        [
          "world",
          "world#English"
        ],
        [
          "human",
          "human"
        ],
        [
          "life",
          "life"
        ],
        [
          "people",
          "people"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "An age, era or epoch."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "age",
          "age"
        ],
        [
          "era",
          "era"
        ],
        [
          "epoch",
          "epoch"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              73,
              78
            ]
          ],
          "bold_translation_offsets": [
            [
              74,
              79
            ]
          ],
          "english": "This Pluto was the greatest thief and the most lecherous being in all the world, and he had a giant called Cerberus with him.",
          "ref": "1471 September 28 [1464], Raoul le ffeure, translated by Willyam Caxton, [T]he recuyell of the hiſtoryes of Troye, [London], translation of Le recueil de histoires de Troye (in Middle French), published c. 1474; republished by H. Oskar Sommer, editorvolume II, London: David Nutt, 1894, →OCLC, leaf 160:",
          "text": "this pluto was the gretteſt theef and the moſte lecherous man of all the world And had with hym a geant named Cerberus .",
          "translation": "This Pluto was the greatest thief and the most lecherous being in all the world, and he had a giant called Cerberus with him.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The universe, the totality of existence."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "universe",
          "universe"
        ],
        [
          "existence",
          "existence"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/wurld/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/wɔrld/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/wɛrld/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/warld/",
      "note": "late",
      "tags": [
        "Norfolk",
        "Northern",
        "especially"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwurdəl/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwurdlə/",
      "note": "East Anglia, Kent, Southern, Southwest Midlands"
    }
  ],
  "word": "world"
}

Download raw JSONL data for world meaning in Middle English (8.7kB)

{
  "called_from": "page/1498/20230118",
  "msg": "''The trappings and features of '[...]' gloss has examples we want to keep, but there are subglosses.",
  "path": [
    "world"
  ],
  "section": "Middle English",
  "subsection": "noun",
  "title": "world",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-02-08 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-02-01 using wiktextract (f492ef9 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.