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Synonyms

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.

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.

old-world 1 British  

adjective

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Old World Cultural  

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

Other Word Forms

  • old-worldliness noun
  • old-worldly adjective

Etymology

Origin of old-world1

First recorded in 1705–15

Origin of Old World2

First recorded in 1590–1600

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.

By the 1970s, elevator operators had largely vanished, lingering mostly in luxury hotels where their old-world charm and sense of ceremony still held appeal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 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

Dan Tana’s has endured, Martino said, in part because it can still deliver a charming, old-world experience.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 17, 2025

The kind that reeks of washed rinds, that crunches with tyrosine crystals, that bears the name of a tiny European village in delicate, old-world type.

From Salon • Jul. 6, 2025

The problem was just that it took forever to translate old-world Farsi into English.

From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi

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.