worldling

American

[wurld-ling] / ˈwɜrld lɪŋ /

noun

a person devoted to the interests and pleasures of this world; a worldly person.

Those who sought money and treasures were indiscriminately classed as worldlings and apostates.

worldling British

/ ˈwɜːldlɪŋ /

noun

a person who is primarily concerned with worldly matters or material things

"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

Etymology

Origin of worldling

First recorded in 1540–50; world + -ling ¹

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.

See Examples For:

worldling

I had lived my adulthood as a postmodern man, a worldling of the coasts and cities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 29, 2016

His David is both an evildoer and a decent-minded worldling.

From Time Magazine Archive

Thanks to Author Thompson's restless skill, however, it emerges from dubious beginnings into tragic romance, a moral tale to melt a worldling.

From Time Magazine Archive

The underlying theme is not new to Barry: more than once he pierced to the Puritan inside the worldling, the hair shirt beneath the dinner jacket.

From Time Magazine Archive

You're only about half the age of this weary worldling your daughter.

From The Setons by O. Douglas

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023