In English, world is rooted in a compound of the obsolete words were, man, and eld, age; thus, its oldest meaning is "age or life of man". Its primary modern meaning is the planet Earth, especially when capitalized: the World. In this sense, a world map is a map of the surface of the Earth. World can also refer to human population in general or to a distinct group of people. World - Physical locations. In other contexts, "world" is sometimes used poetically to mean any planet or ...

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• World - Physical locations
• World - Other meanings
• World - First World Second World Third World

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World can be used in less literal words; for example, two people with very little in common are "living in two different worlds". The "end of the world" usually means "the end of everything I am familiar with." In Christianity the world connotes the fallen and corrupt world order of human society outside the community of believers. The world is frequently cited alongside the flesh and the Devil as a source of temptation that Christians should flee. Monks speak of striving to be "in this ...

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World, World - Physical locations, World - Other meanings, World - First World Second World Third World

Read more here: » World: Encyclopedia II - World - Other meanings

In other contexts, "world" is sometimes used poetically to mean any planet or moon; for example, Mars and Titan are two 'worlds' within the solar system. "World" is sometimes used to refer to the entire Universe. This is less common now that knowledge of space is commonplace; however, it is still used vaguely in this sense (as in "the whole wide world"). A similar sense is also used in philosophy, particularly in discussion of "possible worlds"; a possible world is any poss ...

See also:

World, World - Physical locations, World - Other meanings, World - First World Second World Third World

Read more here: » World: Encyclopedia II - World - Physical locations