Earth vs. World: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on September 28, 2023
Earth refers to the third planet from the sun in our solar system, while World encompasses all of humanity, its societies, and their interactions with the Earth.
Key Differences
Earth and World are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they have different meanings. Earth specifically refers to the physical planet, the third from the sun, a celestial body that is home to diverse ecosystems and human life. It is a tangible, measurable entity with a distinct geographical and physical existence, encompassing land, water, atmosphere, and everything within it. The concept of Earth is scientific, referring to the physical aspects, composition, and the terrestrial sphere itself.
World, in contrast, is a broader and more abstract term, encompassing not just the physical planet but also the inhabitants, human societies, cultures, and civilizations that exist on Earth. It refers to the collective human experience, the sum of all societal and cultural developments, interactions, and histories. The word World is used to articulate the human realm, involving aspects like politics, society, economy, culture, and human consciousness.
While Earth is objective, the world is subjective, focusing on the human perspective, interpretations, and experiences within the planet Earth. Earth represents the material, the physical space where life unfolds, the environment, ecosystems, and the geological formations. World represents the immaterial, the mental construct of human existence, including thoughts, emotions, philosophies, and cultural developments that occur on Earth.
In essence, Earth is our living environment, the biological and physical systems that support life. It is a singular entity with a definite form, shape, and structure, studied in fields like geography, geology, and environmental science. World is the entirety of human existence, the collective life and the manifold of human experiences, thoughts, and civilizations that have arisen and developed on the surface of the Earth.
Comparison Chart
Definition
The third planet from the sun.
All of humanity and its civilizations.
ADVERTISEMENT
Scope
Physical and geographical entity.
Societal, cultural, and human experiences.
Study
Studied in geology, geography, etc.
Explored in sociology, history, etc.
Composition
Consists of land, water, and atmosphere.
Comprises humans, societies, cultures, and interactions.
Interaction
Interacts with cosmic entities and forces.
Interacts through human societies and their developments.
Earth and World Definitions
Earth
The land surface of the world.
ADVERTISEMENT
World
The entirety of humanity and its civilizations.
The world is united by common human experiences.
Earth
The softer, friable part of land; soil, especially productive soil.
World
A particular sphere of activity, life, or experience.
The world of professional sports is highly competitive.
Earth
OftenEarthThe third planet from the sun, having a sidereal period of revolution about the sun of 365.26 days at a mean distance of approximately 149.6 million kilometers (92.96 million miles), a sidereal rotation period of 23 hours 56.07 minutes, an average radius of 6,378.1 kilometers (3,963 miles), and a mass of approximately 5.9736 × 1024 kilograms (1.3169 × 1025 pounds).
World
The earth, especially together with the life it supports
A chemical found all over the world.
An ecological disaster that could threaten the entire world.
Earth
The realm of mortal existence; the temporal world.
World
The universe
How the ancients conceived the world.
Earth
The human inhabitants of the world:The earth received the news with joy.
World
Humankind considered as social beings; human society
Turned her back on the world.
Earth
Worldly affairs and pursuits.
World
People as a whole; the public
The event amazed the world.
Earth
Everyday life; reality:was brought back to earth from his daydreams of wealth and fame.
World
Often World A specified part of the earth
The Western World.
Earth
The substance of the human body; clay.
World
A part of the earth and its inhabitants as known at a given period in history
The ancient world.
Earth
The lair of a burrowing animal.
World
A realm or domain
The animal world.
The world of imagination.
Earth
Chiefly British The ground of an electrical circuit.
World
A sphere of human activity or interest
The world of sports.
Earth
(Chemistry)Any of several metallic oxides, such as alumina or zirconia, that are difficult to reduce and were formerly regarded as elements.
World
A class or group of people with common characteristics or pursuits
The scientific world.
Earth
To cover or heap (plants) with soil for protection.
World
A particular way of life
The world of the homeless.
Earth
To chase (an animal) into an underground hiding place.
World
All that relates to or affects the life of a person
He saw his world collapse about him.
Earth
To burrow or hide in the ground. Used of a hunted animal.
World
Secular life and its concerns
A man of the world.
Earth
Senseid|en|Q2}} {{alternative case form of Earth; Our planet, third out from the Sun.
The astronauts saw the earth from the porthole.
World
Human existence; life
Brought a child into the world.
Earth
(uncountable) Soil.
This is good earth for growing potatoes.
World
A state of existence
The next world.
Earth
(uncountable) Any general rock-based material.
She sighed when the plane's wheels finally touched earth.
World
Often worlds A large amount; much
Did her a world of good.
Candidates that are worlds apart on foreign policy.
Earth
The ground, land (as opposed to the sky or sea).
Birds are of the sky, not of the earth.
World
A celestial body such as a planet
The possibility of life on other worlds.
Earth
(British) A connection electrically to the earth (US ground); on equipment: a terminal connected in that manner.
World
Of or relating to the world
A world champion.
Earth
The lair or den (as a hole in the ground) of an animal such as a fox.
World
Involving or extending throughout the entire world
A world crisis.
Earth
A region of the planet; a land or country.
World
(with "the" or a plural possessive pronoun) The subjective human experience, regarded collectively; human collective existence; existence in general.
In retrospect, the process of economic globalization has meant the end of the world as we knew it.
There will always be lovers, till the world’s end.
Earth
Worldly things, as against spiritual ones.
World
(with "the" or a singular possessive pronoun) The subjective human experience, regarded individually.
The period immediately following my divorce seemed like the end of my world.
He was my world! [said of a slain companion]
Earth
The world of our current life (as opposed to heaven or an afterlife).
World
A majority of people.
Running after God is the only life worth living. Even though the world believes that living for God is boring, we believe that there is nothing more exciting.
Earth
(metonymically) The people on the globe.
World
The Universe.
Earth
Any planet similar to the Earth (our earth): an exoplanet viewed as another earth, or a potential one.
New space telescopes may accelerate the search for other earths that may be out there.
World
The Earth.
People are dying of starvation all over the world.
Earth
(archaic) The human body.
World
(countable) A planet, especially one which is inhabited or inhabitable.
Our mission is to travel the galaxy and find new worlds.
Earth
The aforementioned soil- or rock-based material, considered one of the four or five classical elements.
World
(by extension) Any other astronomical body which may be inhabitable, such as a natural satellite.
Earth
Any of certain substances now known to be oxides of metal, which were distinguished by being infusible, and by insolubility in water.
World
A very large extent of country.
The New World
Earth
To connect electrically to the earth.
That noise is because the amplifier is not properly earthed.
World
(fiction) A realm, such as a planet, containing one or multiple societies of beings, especially intelligent ones.
The world of Narnia; the Wizarding World of Harry Potter; a zombie world
Earth
(transitive) To bury.
World
An individual or group perspective or social setting.
In the world of boxing, good diet is all-important.
Welcome to my world.
Earth
(transitive) To hide, or cause to hide, in the earth; to chase into a burrow or den.
World
(computing) The part of an operating system distributed with the kernel, consisting of the shell and other programs.
Earth
(intransitive) To burrow.
World
(video games) A subdivision of a game, consisting of a series of stages or levels that usually share a similar environment or theme.
Have you reached the boss at the end of the ice world?
There's a hidden warp to the next world down this pipe.
Earth
The globe or planet which we inhabit; the world, in distinction from the sun, moon, or stars. Also, this world as the dwelling place of mortals, in distinction from the dwelling place of spirits.
That law preserves the earth a sphereAnd guides the planets in their course.
In heaven, or earth, or under earth, in hell.
World
(tarot) The twenty-second trump or major arcana card of the tarot.
Earth
The solid materials which make up the globe, in distinction from the air or water; the dry land.
God called the dry land earth.
He is pure air and fire, and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him.
World
A great amount.
Taking a break from work seems to have done her a world of good.
You're going to be in a world of trouble when your family finds out.
That new wallpaper has made worlds of difference downstairs.
This movie isn't even billed as a comedy, but it's worlds funnier than the comedy I saw last month.
Earth
The softer inorganic matter composing part of the surface of the globe, in distinction from the firm rock; soil of all kinds, including gravel, clay, loam, and the like; sometimes, soil favorable to the growth of plants; the visible surface of the globe; the ground; as, loose earth; rich earth.
Give him a little earth for charity.
World
(archaic) Age, era.
Earth
A part of this globe; a region; a country; land.
Would I had never trod this English earth.
World
To consider or cause to be considered from a global perspective; to consider as a global whole, rather than making or focussing on national or other distinctions; compare globalise.
Earth
Worldly things, as opposed to spiritual things; the pursuits, interests, and allurements of this life.
Our weary souls by earth beguiled.
World
To make real; to make worldly.
Earth
The people on the globe.
The whole earth was of one language.
World
The earth and the surrounding heavens; the creation; the system of created things; existent creation; the universe.
The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen.
With desire to know,What nearer might concern him, how this worldOf heaven and earth conspicuous first began.
Earth
Any earthy-looking metallic oxide, as alumina, glucina, zirconia, yttria, and thoria.
World
Any planet or heavenly body, especially when considered as inhabited, and as the scene of interests analogous with human interests; as, a plurality of worlds.
Amongst innumerable stars, that shoneStar distant, but high-hand seemed other worlds.
There may be other worlds, where the inhabitants have never violated their allegiance to their almighty Sovereign.
Earth
A hole in the ground, where an animal hides himself; as, the earth of a fox.
They [ferrets] course the poor conies out of their earths.
World
The earth and its inhabitants, with their concerns; the sum of human affairs and interests.
That forbidden tree, whose mortal tasteBrought death into the world, and all our woe.
Earth
The connection of any part an electric conductor with the ground; specif., the connection of a telegraph line with the ground through a fault or otherwise.
World
In a more restricted sense, that part of the earth and its concerns which is known to any one, or contemplated by any one; a division of the globe, or of its inhabitants; human affairs as seen from a certain position, or from a given point of view; also, state of existence; scene of life and action; as, the Old World; the New World; the religious world; the Catholic world; the upper world; the future world; the heathen world.
One of the greatest in the Christian worldShall be my surety.
Murmuring that now they must be put to make war beyond the world's end - for so they counted Britain.
Earth
A plowing.
Such land as ye break up for barley to sow,Two earths at the least, ere ye sow it, bestow.
World
The customs, practices, and interests of men; general affairs of life; human society; public affairs and occupations; as, a knowledge of the world.
Happy is she that from the world retires.
If knowledge of the world makes man perfidious,May Juba ever live in ignorance.
Earth
To hide, or cause to hide, in the earth; to chase into a burrow or den.
World
Individual experience of, or concern with, life; course of life; sum of the affairs which affect the individual; as, to begin the world with no property; to lose all, and begin the world anew.
Earth
To cover with earth or mold; to inter; to bury; - sometimes with up.
The miser earths his treasure, and the thief,Watching the mole, half beggars him ere noon.
Why this in earthing up a carcass?
World
The inhabitants of the earth; the human race; people in general; the public; mankind.
Since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it.
Tell me, wench, how will the world repute meFor undertaking so unstaid a journey?
Earth
To burrow.
World
The earth and its affairs as distinguished from heaven; concerns of this life as distinguished from those of the life to come; the present existence and its interests; hence, secular affairs; engrossment or absorption in the affairs of this life; worldly corruption; the ungodly or wicked part of mankind.
I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Earth
The 3rd planet from the sun; the planet on which we live;
The Earth moves around the sun
He sailed around the world
World
As an emblem of immensity, a great multitude or quantity; a large number.
Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company.
A world of woes dispatched in little space.
O, you are novices; 't is a world to seeHow tame, when men and women are alone,A meacock wretch can make the curstest shrew.
Throughout all ages, world without end.
Earth
The loose soft material that makes up a large part of the land surface;
They dug into the earth outside the church
World
All of the inhabitants of the earth;
All the world loves a lover
She always used `humankind' because `mankind' seemed to slight the women
Earth
The solid part of the earth's surface;
The plane turned away from the sea and moved back over land
The earth shook for several minutes
He dropped the logs on the ground
World
Everything that exists anywhere;
They study the evolution of the universe
The biggest tree in existence
Earth
The abode of mortals (as contrasted with heaven or hell);
It was hell on earth
World
All of your experiences that determine how things appear to you;
His world was shattered
We live in different worlds
For them demons were as much a part of reality as trees were
Earth
Once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)
World
People in general; especially a distinctive group of people with some shared interest;
The Western world
Earth
The concerns of the world as distinguished from heaven and the afterlife;
They consider the church to be independent of the world
World
The 3rd planet from the sun; the planet on which we live;
The Earth moves around the sun
He sailed around the world
Earth
A connection between an electrical device and the earth (which is a zero voltage)
World
The concerns of the world as distinguished from heaven and the afterlife;
They consider the church to be independent of the world
Earth
Hide in the earth like a hunted animal
World
A part of the earth that can be considered separately;
The outdoor world
The world of insects
Earth
Connect to the earth;
Earth the circuit
World
People in general considered as a whole;
He is a hero in the eyes of the public
Earth
The third planet from the sun in our solar system.
Earth revolves around the sun in 365.25 days.
World
Involving the entire earth; not limited or provincial in scope;
Global war
Global monetary policy
Neither national nor continental but planetary
A world crisis
Of worldwide significance
Earth
A celestial body supporting diverse ecosystems.
Earth has a variety of climates and terrains.
World
The earth with its inhabitants and all of its creations.
The world is full of diverse cultures and landscapes.
Earth
The ground or soil as a surface.
The farmer tilled the earth in preparation for planting.
World
The inhabitants of the earth; humanity.
Peace is a common desire throughout the world.
Earth
The material world or universe; the cosmos.
The mysteries of the earth and the universe are vast.
World
A complex of human societies.
Advances in technology are rapidly changing the world.
Earth
A terrestrial habitat for living organisms.
Earth provides the necessary conditions for life to thrive.
FAQs
Can Earth refer to soil?
Yes, Earth can also mean the ground or soil as a surface.
Is World more about human perspective?
Yes, World encompasses human societies, cultures, and collective experiences.
Are Earth and World synonymous?
No, Earth is the physical planet, and World refers to humanity and its experiences on Earth.
Is the world focused on societal and cultural aspects?
Yes, the world includes societal, cultural, and interactional aspects of humanity.
Does Earth involve study in environmental science?
Yes, Earth is studied in geography, geology, environmental science, and related fields.
Can world refer to a particular sphere of life?
Yes, world can signify a specific realm or sphere of activity or life.
Can the term Earth refer to terrestrial habitats?
Yes, Earth represents terrestrial habitats for living organisms.
Is Earth a living environment?
Yes, Earth provides the biological and physical systems that support life.
Can Earth signify the universe?
In some contexts, Earth can represent the material world or universe.
Does the world include all of human civilization?
Yes, the world encompasses all of humanity and its civilizations.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
