old-world

1 of 2

adjective

ˈōl(d)-ˈwər(-ə)ld 

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the Old World

old-world traditions/attitudes/beliefs

Many recipes for old-world cakes … call for whisking egg yolks with sugar until a pale yellow foam forms.

—Ben Mims

Pronghorns, distinctly North American and not allied to old-world goats or antelope, are the fastest land mammals on earth after cheetahs.

—Ted Williams

often : having the charm or picturesque qualities of the Old World

narrow old-world streets

… the house radiates a European sensibility … By recognizing and building upon this appealing old-world integrity, Joanne Deakins has placed the definitive stamp of her own decorating taste and style on the home's interior and furnishings.

—Southern Accents

The hotel is very old-world, and the tall dining room has all the accoutrements that a luxury hotel once required.

—Lillian Langseth-Christensen

Old World

2 of 2

noun

Phrases

the Old World

: the eastern hemisphere exclusive of Australia

… the pomegranate has been naturalized for so long throughout the Old World that no one is quite sure where it originated (but Persia seems most likely).

—Elizabeth Schneider

During the late Miocene, various kinds of apes evolved in widely separated parts of the Old World (but none in the New World).

—Marvin Harris

specifically : the continent of Europe

The Atlantic is a Lethean stream, in our passage over which we have had an opportunity to forget the Old World and its institutions.

—Henry David Thoreau

From America, the Old World would receive new staffs of life, such as corn and potatoes, as well as some of life's guilty pleasures, such as tobacco and chocolate.

—Peter Winn

compare new world

Synonyms of old-world

Adjective

• vintage
• antique
• retro
• traditional
• historical
• historic
• antiquated
• old-time

Examples of old-world in a Sentence

Adjective

the theater has been painstakingly restored to its old-world elegance

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Combing through the aisles of your local antique market isn't the only way to score a rug with old-world character. — Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 9 July 2026

But its old-world sense of adventure, thanks to direct access to the Golden Outback—the western region of the country’s vast interior, with ties to the gold rush of the late 1800s—has remained. — Justin Meneguzzi, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026

Noun

There’s always a line at Beckmann’s Old World Bakery for sourdough loaves and strawberry pies, and food trucks offer everything from Brazilian barbecue to homemade kombucha to British sausage rolls. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 7 July 2026

Livestock and many Old World crops had already been introduced to North America by European explorers and settlers during the centuries before the nation's founding. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1712, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1596, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for old-world

• lifeworld
• unfurled
• curled
• furled
• hurled
• knurled
• swirled
• twirled
• whirled
• whorled
• world
• netherworld

Kids Definition

old-world

1 of 2 adjective

ˈōl-ˈ(d)wər(-ə)ld

1

: of or relating to the Old World

2

: having old-fashioned charm

Old World

2 of 2 noun

: the eastern hemisphere except Australia

especially : the continent of Europe