world war
Americannoun
-
world wars
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of world war
First recorded in 1910–15
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It will be Africa's second world war," he said, alluding to the 1998-2003 Congo war that involved nine African nations.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
The second world war saw the loss of dinosaur fossils on both sides of the conflict.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
DST, which also helped conserve fuel during the first world war, was unpopular with farmers and was repealed after the war.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
As Warren’s account reflects, Americans at the time knew it was a world war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Just twenty years after the end of World War I, it looked like a second world war was about to explode.
From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
