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Worldly vs Sublunary - What's the difference?

worldly | sublunary |

As adjectives the difference between worldly and sublunary

is that worldly is concerned with human or earthly matters, physical as opposed to spiritual while sublunary is situated between the earth and the moon; sublunar or cislunar.

As an adverb worldly

is in a worldly manner.

As a noun sublunary is

(obsolete) any worldly thing.

worldly

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • Concerned with human or earthly matters, physical as opposed to spiritual.
  • * 1868 , , Part Two, Chapter Twenty-four: Gossip,
    • These attributes, in spite of poverty and the strict integrity which shut him out from the more worldly successes, attracted to him many admirable persons, as naturally as sweet herbs draw bees, and as naturally he gave them the honey into which fifty years of hard experience had distilled no bitter drop.
  • * , Book 1: Adi Parva, Section LXXXV,
    • Thirst of enjoyment, therefore, should be given up. Indeed, true happiness belongeth to them that have cast off their thirst for worldly objects--a thirst which is difficult to be thrown off by the wicked and the sinful, which faileth not with the failing life, and which is truly the fatal disease of man.
  • * 1889 , , Chapter VIII,
    • The conviction that my personal, worldly life was something real and good constituted the misunderstanding, the obstacle, that prevented me from comprehending Jesus doctrine.
  • * 1910 , , Chapter 1, part 3,
    • We have actually contrived to invent a new kind of hypocrite. The old hypocrite, Tartuffe or Pecksniff, was a man whose aims were really worldly' and practical, while he pretended that they were religious. The new hypocrite is one whose aims are really religious, while he pretends that they are ' worldly and practical.
  • Concerned with secular rather than sacred matters.
  • Sophisticated, especially because of surfeit; versed in the ways of the world.

    • Synonyms

    * material, mundane * (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) lay, profane * (versed in the ways of the world) sophisticated, street-smart

    Antonyms

    * otherworldly, spiritual * (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) clerical, religious, sacred * (versed in the ways of the world) naive

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • In a worldly manner.

    • Derived terms

    * worldly-wise

    sublunary

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Situated between the earth and the moon; sublunar or cislunar.
  • Of this world (as opposed to heaven etc.); earthly, terrestrial.
  • * Dryden
    • All things sublunary are subject to change.
  • * South
    • All sublunary comforts imitate the changeableness, as well as feel the influence, of the planet they are under.
  • *1719 , (Daniel Defoe), (Robinson Crusoe) :
  • *:and the conversation which employed the hours between Friday and me was such as made the three years which we lived there together perfectly and completely happy, if any such thing as complete happiness can be formed in a sublunary state.
  • *1946 , (Bertrand Russell), History of Western Philosophy , I.19:
  • *:We must infer that God does not know of the existence of our sublunary world.

    • Derived terms

    * sublunary sphere

    Noun

    (sublunaries)
  • (obsolete) Any worldly thing.