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• old-world
  old-world

  adjective

  of or relating to the ancient world or to a former period of history.
• Old World
  Old World

  noun

  Europe, Asia, and Africa, especially when regarded collectively as the inhabited landmasses of the world known to Europe prior to its discovery of the Americas.

old-world

¹ American  

[ohld-wurld] / ˈoʊldˈwɜrld /

adjective

1. of or relating to the ancient world or to a former period of history.

2. of or relating to the Old World.

   old-world customs.

3. characteristic of the Old World; quaint; traditional.

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Old World ² American  

[ohld wurld] / ˈoʊld ˌwɜrld /

noun

1. Europe, Asia, and Africa, especially when regarded collectively as the inhabited landmasses of the world known to Europe prior to its discovery of the Americas.

2. Eastern Hemisphere.

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old-world ¹ British  

adjective

1. of or characteristic of former times, esp, in Europe, quaint or traditional

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Old World ² British  

noun

1. that part of the world that was known before the discovery of the Americas, comprising Europe, Asia, and Africa; the eastern hemisphere

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Old World Cultural  

1. The Eastern Hemisphere, especially Europe, as opposed to the New World — the Americas.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• old-worldly
  adjective
• old-worldly
  adverb
• old-worldliness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of old-world¹

First recorded in 1705–15

Origin of Old World²

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

Historic freezes in 1894 and 1895 nearly eradicated the industry, its first and last real brush with old-world calamity.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Now new owners Peter and Kirsten Kern are betting they can revive the old-world craft firm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

As well as dressing up, they also try to replicate the posture, behaviours - such as using a fan - and "old-world way of speaking" of the Regency period.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

Remarkably few of these old-world venues remain in circulation — there are only a handful in America — although they are much revered in Europe, where it is much more common to stumble across one.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2025

Representing the marriage of old-world traditions with the apple-pie aspirations of the new country, she took crown after crown.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Related Words

• antiquated
• archaic
• charming
• curious
• cute
• fanciful
• picturesque
• twee
• whimsical