weorold

Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

  • From Proto-West Germanic *weraldi, from Proto-Germanic *weraldiz, a compound of *weraz (“man”) +‎ *aldiz (“age”).

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈwe͜o.rold/, [ˈwe͜o.roɫd]

    Noun

    weorold f

    1. world
      Tō sōþe God āna mæġ þisse weorolde āgan.
      Only God may truly own this world.
      • 10th century, The Wanderer:
        Forþon iċ ġeþenċan ne mæġ · ġeond þās woruld
        for hwan mōdsefa(n) · mīn(ne) ġesweorce
        Thus I cannot think over through this world
        why would (not) my heart darken
    2. existence, state of existence, worldly affairs (often of mundane or worldly things, as opposed to spiritual)
      For Gode and for weorolde.
      In respect to Godly and worldly custom (literally "For God and for world").
    3. temporal things or possessions
    4. men and things upon earth
    5. an age (period of time)
      Tīde hwēol tyrnþ, and weorolda āgāþ.
      The wheel of time turns, and ages come to pass.
    6. a person's lifetime
      Þā menn wunodon ealle heora weorolda on synne.
      Those people lived in sin for their entire lives.
    7. the course of human affairs

    Usage notes

    • Typically used without sēo (“the”): Nis þæt ġerȳne hū weorold is, ac þæt hēo is ("The wonder is not how the world is, but that it is").

    Declension

    Strong i-stem:

    singular plural
    nominative weorold weorolde, weorolda
    accusative weorold, weorolde weorolde, weorolda
    genitive weorolde weorolda
    dative weorolde weoroldum

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Descendants

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