Old World

The "Old World" (Latin: Mundus vetus) is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas.[1] It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously thought of by the Europeans as comprising the entire world, with the "New World", a term for the newly encountered lands of the Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas.[2]

  1. ^ "Old World". Merriam-Webster. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  2. ^ "New world". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
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