of or relating to the ancient world or to a former period of history.
of or relating to the Old World.
old-world customs.
characteristic of the Old World; quaint; traditional.
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.
First recorded in 1705–15
First recorded in 1590–1600
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
Mr. Massie, whose slurred accent sounds at once Scottish, English and French, possesses the sort of old-world education presently facing extinction.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025
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
Some are eager to see the three policemen back in action but others say that the show's old-world charm might not fit in with the gritty realism of modern-day crime shows.
From BBC • Dec. 7, 2024
The storm rolled onto the coast with all the implacable power of an old-world tank.
From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi
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.
