Meanings
third world1
- Alternative letter-case form of Third World.
Third World2
alternative third world · alternative 3rd World · alternative 3rd world
- historicalgovernmentThose countries not aligned with the west or the east during the Cold War.
- derogatorysometimesDeveloping countries, especially those of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Our district has many immigrants from Third World countries
1 more example
How about — take a deep breath — eliminating the subsidies to American farmers that keep Third World farmers from being able to make a living selling their products?
2003 May 3, John H. McWhorter, “Hating Whitey Worldwide”, in Manhattan Institute, archived from the original on 27 Feb 2025Synonyms: Global South · Antonyms: First World
- attributivederogatoryinformalAny developing country, or a country lacking the perceived internationally respected ideal standards of a society (e.g. sufficient rule of law and internationally respected level of prosperity).
In some instances, the U.S.’s performance is downright abysmal, far below foreign countries that are snidely looked-down-upon as “third world.”
2014 March 5, Sean McElwee, “Six Ways America Is Like a Third-World Country”, in Rolling Stone, archived from the original on 16 Apr 20211 more example
[…] "IT IS LIKEWISE A CONTINUING ATTACK ON OUR ONCE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. THE USA IS NOW A THIRD WORLD NATION, A NATION IN SERIOUS DECLINE. SO SAD!"[…]"The ruling party is trying to jail the opposition leader like a third world dictatorship! It's happening before your very eyes," Trump Jr. said in a tweet.[…]Meanwhile, Eric Trump condemned the indictment as "third world prosecutorial misconduct […]
2023 March 31, John Haltiwanger, “Trump and his sons say his indictment makes the US like a 'third world' country, but plenty of other democracies have prosecuted ex-leaders”, in Business Insider, archived from the original on 02 Oct 2025 - People of marginalized or exploited races, collectively.
Although it has been publicized that 1/3 of the musicians are women of color. these women were chosen without consulting the Third World Women's community.
1981 April 11, Maxine Feldman et. al., “East Coast Women's Festival”, in Gay Community News, page 5
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounDeveloping countries, especially those of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Translations
Arabic الْعَالَم الثَّالِث, الْعَالَم الثَّالِث
- الْعَالَم الثَّالِث (al-ʕālam aṯ-ṯāliṯ)countries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- الْعَالَم الثَّالِث (al-ʕālam aṯ-ṯāliṯ)developing countries
Bengali তৃতীয় বিশ্ব
- তৃতীয় বিশ্ব (tritiẏo biśśo)developing countries
Bulgarian тре́ти свят, тре́ти свят
- тре́ти свят (tréti svjat)countries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- тре́ти свят (tréti svjat)developing countries
- тре́тият свят (trétijat svjat)developing countries
Chinese Mandarin 第三世界, 第三世界
- 第三世界 (dì-sān shìjiè)countries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- 第三世界 (dì-sān shìjiè)developing countries
Czech třetí svět, rozvojová země
- třetí světcountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- rozvojová zemědeveloping countries
- třetí světdeveloping countries
Danish tredje verden
- tredje verdendeveloping countries
Dutch derde wereld
- derde werelddeveloping countries
Estonian kolmas maailm, kolmas maailm
- kolmas maailmcountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- kolmas maailmdeveloping countries
Finnish kolmas maailma, kolmas maailma
- kolmas maailmacountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- kolmas maailmadeveloping countries
French tiers-monde, tiers-monde
- tiers-mondecountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- tiers-mondedeveloping countries
German Dritte Welt, Dritte Welt
- Dritte Weltcountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- Dritte Weltdeveloping countries
- Trikontdeveloping countries
Greek ο τρίτος κόσμος
- ο τρίτος κόσμος (o trítos kósmos)developing countries
Hindi तृतीय विश्व
- तृतीय विश्व (tŕtīya viśva)developing countries
Hungarian harmadik világ
- harmadik világdeveloping countries
Irish an Tríú Domhan, an tríú domhan
- an Tríú Domhancountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- an tríú domhancountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
Italian terzo mondo, terzo mondo
- terzo mondocountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- terzo mondodeveloping countries
Japanese 第三世界, 第三世界
- 第三世界 (dai-san sekai)countries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- 第三世界 (dai-san sekai)developing countries
Korean 제삼세계, 제3세계
- 제삼세계 (jesamsegye)countries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- 제3세계 (je3segye)countries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- 제삼세계 (jesamsegye)developing countries
- 제3세계 (je3segye)developing countries
Norwegian Bokmål den tredje verden
- den tredje verdendeveloping countries
Polish Trzeci Świat, Trzeci Świat
- Trzeci Światcountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- Trzeci Światdeveloping countries
Portuguese terceiro mundo, terceiro mundo
- terceiro mundocountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- terceiro mundodeveloping countries
Romanian lumea a treia, lumea a treia
- lumea a treiacountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- lumea a treiadeveloping countries
Russian тре́тий мир, тре́тий мир
- тре́тий мир (trétij mir)countries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- тре́тий мир (trétij mir)developing countries
Scottish Gaelic an Treas Domhan, an Treas Domhan
- an Treas Domhancountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- an Treas Domhandeveloping countries
Slovak tretí svet, rozvojová krajina
- tretí svetcountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- rozvojová krajinadeveloping countries
- tretí svetdeveloping countries
Spanish tercer mundo, tercer mundo
- tercer mundocountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- tercer mundodeveloping countries
Swedish alliansfri, neutral
- alliansfricountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- neutralcountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- tredje ståndpunktencountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- u-landdeveloping countries
- tredje världendeveloping countries
Thai โลกที่สาม, โลกที่สาม
- โลกที่สามcountries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- โลกที่สามdeveloping countries
Turkish üçüncü dünya
- üçüncü dünyadeveloping countries
Ukrainian тре́тій світ, тре́тій світ
- тре́тій світ (trétij svit)countries not aligned with the west or east during the cold war
- тре́тій світ (trétij svit)developing countries
Urdu تِیسْری دُنْیا
- تِیسْری دُنْیا (tīsrī dunyā)developing countries
Cite this entry
third world. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/third%20world
“third world.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/third%20world. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “third world,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/third%20world.
Source: third world on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.