Meanings
nounhalf-world (plural half-worlds)
plural half-worlds
- A hemisphere.First known use 17th c.
- A group of people on the fringes of society, a subculture; the demimonde.First known use 19th c.
Origin
- Frenchdemi-monde
- Englishhalf-world
From half + world, in later use after French demi-monde.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
half-world. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/half-world
MLA
“half-world.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/half-world. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “half-world,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/half-world.
Source: half-world on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.