WURLD-lee
/ˈwɝldli/
worldly is pronounced WURLD-lee (/ˈwɝldli/). Worldly is an adjective describing a person or perspective that is experienced in the practical affairs of life and not naive, often emphasizing secular or material concerns over spiritual ones. It can also refer to things related to the world or international affairs. The term carries connotations of breadth of experience and worldly knowledge rather than ascetic simplicity.
Worldly is an adjective describing a person or perspective that is experienced in the practical affairs of life and not naive, often emphasizing secular or material concerns over spiritual ones. It can also refer to things related to the world or international affairs. The term carries connotations of breadth of experience and worldly knowledge rather than ascetic simplicity.
"Her worldly experience helped her navigate complex negotiations with ease."
"The novel contrasts spiritual longing with a worldly cynicism about success."
"A worldly traveler learns to adapt to different cultures and customs."
Worldly is pronounced with the primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈwɜːrldli/ in US and UK. Start with the “wor” sound as in “word” but with a long schwa-like /ɜː/ in many accents, then a light “ld” cluster, and finish with a short “ly” sounding like /li/ with a relaxed tongue. Think: WORLD- lee. For Australian English, the /ɜː/ remains central, often with a slightly more condensed vowel, but the rhythm stays WORLD-lee.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress, saying /ˈwɜːldri/ with a non-silent -ly, or flattening the /ɜː/ to a short /ə/. Another error is pronouncing the /rl/ as separate segments too abruptly, creating a choppy WO-RLD-lee instead of the smooth WORLD-lee. Corrective tips: keep /ɜː/ tense and central, allow the /r/ to blend into /l/ without releasing a separate vowel between them, and keep /li/ unstressed and light.
In US and UK, the /ɜː/ (or /ɜr/ in rhotic American) is a central, mid-back vowel; you’ll hear a rhotic /r/ in US accents. Australian speakers often reduce the vowel slightly and may feature a flatter /ɜː/ in some regions, with a softer /l/ onset and a more schwa-like ending. The key differences are rhoticity and vowel quality: US tends to keep /ɜːr/ as /ɜr/; UK is /ɜː/ with non-rhotic tendencies in some accents, and AU varies by region but generally maintains WORLD-ly rhythm with subtle vowel shifts.
The difficulty lies in blending the /ɜːr/ vowel with the /ld/ cluster and then attaching -ly smoothly. The ‘r’ can affect the following /l/, creating a subtle coarticulation that native speakers automate, but learners often pause or insert a vowel. Achieving a fluid /ɜːrld/ sequence requires precise tongue positioning: mid-back tongue height for /ɜː/, curling the tip for /r/ without breaking the /l/, and quick closure before the /li/ ending.
A unique aspect is the /ld/ cluster after /ɜːr/. Many learners correctly pronounce /wɜːr/ then treat /ld/ as a separate unit; the advanced edge is smoothing the transition into the /li/ without adding a vowel between /d/ and /l/—i.e., avoid doubling the 'l' sound. Practicing a rapid /ldl/ sequence helps keep the word intact in fluent speech.
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Worldly derives from the Old English word weorold, which meant ‘age, life, or the world.’ The modern sense blends two paths: the old noun weorold (world) and the suffix -ly forming adjectives meaning ‘characterized by’ or ‘pertaining to.’ By the Middle English period, worldly had begun to take on figurative meanings related to worldly concerns as opposed to spiritual or otherworldly concerns. The sense of being experienced in life and worldly knowledge emerged over time, paralleling shifts in social emphasis toward commerce, travel, and cosmopolitan awareness during the late medieval and early modern periods. The word accrued nuanced shading: nonnaive, socially savvy, and connected to worldly affairs rather than cloistered or naive viewpoints. First known uses surface around the 13th–14th centuries in English literature, evolving through Early Modern English usage as travel and trade expanded cultural horizons. In contemporary use, worldly commonly describes breadth of life experience and practical awareness across international contexts, as well as affectionately playful jab at someone’s sophistication without implying superiority. Overall, its journey maps from literal “world” to figurative “worldly wisdom.”
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Words that rhyme with "worldly"
-rdy sounds
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