Meanings
- uncountableWisdom, knowledge, or understanding about the world; experience; philosophy.
After a few months, I come again to the record & it seems a mere bit of glistening tin or tinsel, and no such worldwisdom.
2011, Ralph Waldo Emerson, William H. Gilman, Charles Johnson, Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson2 more examples
In the Wessex labourer of today, who ploughs the field, walks the lonely heath, sits in his village inn and talks the Old Worldwisdom, he sees the same man who was there a hundred, five hundred, a thousand years ago.
1996, R. G. Cox, Thomas Hardy: the critical heritageÆlfric's words in these lives and his apologetic remarks on youngsters having to earn 'worldwisdom' are powerfully reminiscent of Augpstine's De doctrina Christiana: […]
2006, Aelfric (Abbot of Eynsham.), Gabriella Corona, Saint Amphilochius (Bishop of Iconium), Ælfric's Life of Saint Basil the Great: background and context
Origin
- Old Englishworuldwīsdōm“worldly wisdom, science”
- Middle English*worldwisdom
- Englishworldwisdom
From Middle English *worldwisdom, (found only as worldes wisdom (literally “world's wisdom”)), from Old English woruldwīsdōm (“worldly wisdom, science”), equivalent to world + wisdom.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
worldwisdom. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/worldwisdom
“worldwisdom.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/worldwisdom. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “worldwisdom,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/worldwisdom.
Source: worldwisdom on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.