Standard Lemma guide

worldly-wise

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Experienced in the ways of the world; sophisticated and cosmopolitan.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: worldwise

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

experienced in and wise to the ways of the world

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Compare the synonym worldwise, which has cognates in various West-Germanic languages.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: dünyagörmüş — experienced in the ways of the world
  • Dutch: wereldwijs — experienced in the ways of the world
  • German: weltklug — experienced in the ways of the world
  • Polish: wyrobiony — experienced in the ways of the world
  • Russian: быва́лый (byvályj) — experienced in the ways of the world
  • Swedish: världsklok — experienced in the ways of the world
  • Swedish: världsvan — experienced in the ways of the world
  • Swedish: erfaren — experienced in the ways of the world