man of the worldn.
/ˌman əv ðə ˈwəːld/, U.S. /ˈˌmæn əv ðə ˈwər(ə)ld/ Originally: †a secular or lay person, as opposed to an ecclesiastic or cleric (cf. man of the church n. at man n.1 Phrases 2z) (obsolete). Later: a worldly or unspiritual person, a person who has a broad experience of society and a pragmatic understanding of its flaws and vices.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > church government > laity > [noun] > member of
worldhoodeOE
man of the worlda1225
secularc1425
idiot?c1430
layman?a1475
lay?1533
beardling1568
laic1596
terrestrial1602
layperson1972
society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > unspirituality > [noun] > person
man of the world1535
worldling1549
worlding1567
earthling1600
earthman1748
this-worldian1830
secularist1851
hylicist1880
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > wisdom, sagacity > worldly wisdom > [noun] > one possessed of
man of the world1778
nobody's fool1857
sophisticate1923
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [noun] > knowledge of how to behave > knowledge of conventions of society > one who
woman of the worlda1470
man of the world1891
a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 7 Sume læted [read læteð] wel of hem seluen, ȝif hie bieð of heiȝe kenne,..oðer ȝif he hafð sum hei obedience, oðer ȝif menn of ðe world hes healdeð for hali menn.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 49 Þe enlefte is of man of þe wordle to wyfman of religioun.
?a1425 tr. Catherine of Siena Orcherd of Syon (Harl.) (1966) 345 (MED) Men of þe world which lye in schadowe of deeþ..I schal excite wiþ þe prik of conscience.
1465 J. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 132 I vnderstand in hym no dispocicion of polecy ne of gouernans as man of the werld owt to do, but only leuith..as man disolut.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Psalms xvi[i]. 14 From the men off the worlde, which haue their portion in this life [so 1611; the Prayer-book version differs].
1668 T. Shadwell Sullen Lovers i. 6 Perhaps I am the Man of the World that have found out two Plays, that betwixt you and I have a great deal of Wit in e'm.
1725 G. Odingsells Bath Unmask'd ii. viii. 28 You talk like a Philosopher, not like a Man of the World.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones V. xiv. viii. 171 This Gentleman whom Mr Jones now visited, was what they call a Man of the World that is to say, a Man who directs his Conduct in this World, as one who being fully persuaded there is no other, is resolved to make the most of this. View more context for this quotation
1778 F. Burney Early Diary (1889) II. 244 A true, fashionable, unprincipled man of the world.
1822 Ld. Byron Let. 16 Nov. (1980) X. 34 All my others are men-of-the-world friendships.
1876 L. Stephen Hours in Libr. 2nd Ser. v. 209 Butler's sadness..is that of a recluse, and Johnson's that of a man of the world.
1891 Spectator 31 Jan. 164/1 Lord Hannen has always shown himself, in the best sense of the word, a man of the world.
1931 ‘G. Trevor’ Murder at School i. 13 That rara avis, the headmaster who was also a man of the world.
1959 T. S. Eliot Elder Statesman iii. 98 As two men of the world, we discussed things very frankly.
1989 L. Deighton Spy Line xii. 175 ‘You're a man of the world, Bernard,’ said George suddenly... I grunted and said I would like to think so.
Derivatives
man-of-the-ˈworldish adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [adjective] > well-mannered > versed in suitable behaviour > in conventions of society
man-of-the-worldish1867
man-of-the-worldly1890
1867 Contemp. Rev. 6 394 A wide-awake, man-of-the-world-ish commonsense.
1953 W. R. Burnett Vanity Row ix. 71 Lackey's attempts to appear jovial and man-of-the-worldish were pathetic.
man-of-the-ˈworldism n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [noun] > knowledge of how to behave > knowledge of conventions of society
savoir vivre1745
man-of-the-worldism1868
man-of-the-worldliness1891
1868 Contemp. Rev. 7 132 This bred in him a sort of cynical man-of-the-worldism.
man-of-the-ˈworldliness n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [noun] > knowledge of how to behave > knowledge of conventions of society
savoir vivre1745
man-of-the-worldism1868
man-of-the-worldliness1891
1891 G. Saintsbury tr. E. H. A. Scherer Ess. Eng. Lit. 218 Beaconsfield..has less substance, but more man-of-the-worldliness.
man-of-the-ˈworldly adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [adjective] > well-mannered > versed in suitable behaviour > in conventions of society
man-of-the-worldish1867
man-of-the-worldly1890
1890 Academy 27 Sept. 268/2 The man-of-the-worldly sagacity of Teddy Rudall.
1974 M. Birmingham You can help Me viii. 186 Tom was at his most man-of-the-worldly.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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