worldly

Meanings

Adjective

• Concerned with human or earthly matters, physical as opposed to spiritual.
• Concerned with secular rather than sacred matters.
• Sophisticated, especially because of surfeit; versed in the ways of the world.

Adverb

• In a worldly manner.

Origin

• From Middle English worldly, worldlich, wordly, from Old English woruldlīċ, worldlīċ, weoroldlīċ, from Proto-Germanic *weraldilīkaz, equivalent to world + -ly. Cognate with Dutch wereldlijk, German Low German weltlik, German weltlich, Danish verdslig, Swedish världslig, Icelandic veraldlegur.
• From Middle English worldly, worldliche, wordly, from Old English woroldlīċe, weoroldlīċe; equivalent to world + -ly.