oikumene

O1I1K5U1M3E1N1E1

noun

The civilized world or inhabited world; the location and time in the known world where human civilization exists.

Scrabble 14

Meanings

nounoikumene (plural oikumenes)

plural oikumenes

  1. The civilized world or inhabited world; the location and time in the known world where human civilization exists.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekοἰκουμένη
  2. Ancient Greekοἰκουμένη
  3. Englishoikumene

Borrowed from Ancient Greek οἰκουμένη (oikouménē).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

oikumene. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oikumene

MLA

“oikumene.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oikumene. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “oikumene,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oikumene.

Source: oikumene on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.