third world: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Dated, potentially offensive; academic/historical; informal (in extended, metaphorical use).
Quick answer
What does “third world” mean?
A term historically used to refer to the developing countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, characterized by low industrialization and low standards of living relative to developed nations.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A term historically used to refer to the developing countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, characterized by low industrialization and low standards of living relative to developed nations.
The term is now considered dated and often pejorative. It has evolved in some usage to describe regions or situations of poverty, underdevelopment, or neglect (e.g., 'a third world hospital').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term with the same historical/referential meaning. American English may use it slightly more often in metaphorical extensions (e.g., 'third-world conditions').
Connotations
Universally carries problematic connotations of stereotyping, homogenization, and economic/political hierarchy. More likely to be flagged as offensive in contemporary academic and diplomatic discourse in both regions.
Frequency
Declining sharply in both formal and informal contexts due to its pejorative nature; more likely to be found in historical texts or as a deliberate stylistic choice to evoke a past era.
Grammar
How to Use “third world” in a Sentence
Used attributively as a compound adjective (e.g., third-world infrastructure).Used as a noun phrase, often preceded by 'the' (e.g., aid to the third world).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “third world” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The term is never used as a verb.
American English
- The term is never used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- The term is never used as an adverb.
American English
- The term is never used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The documentary highlighted third-world healthcare challenges.
American English
- The article criticized the city's third-world infrastructure.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Now rare; replaced by 'emerging markets' or 'developing economies'.
Academic
Used critically or historically in political science, development studies, and post-colonial theory; often placed in scare quotes.
Everyday
Mostly avoided due to negative connotations; if used, often metaphorically to criticize domestic neglect ('We have third-world roads here').
Technical
Superseded in UN, World Bank, and IMF terminology by categories based on specific economic indicators (e.g., Least Developed Countries).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “third world”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “third world”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “third world”
- Using it as a contemporary, neutral technical term.
- Capitalizing it ('Third World') – modern style guides recommend lower case.
- Using it to refer to a single country ('India is a third world').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is widely considered outdated, pejorative, and reductionist as it groups diverse nations under a single, often negative, label implying inferiority.
Use more specific and neutral terms like 'developing countries,' 'low- and middle-income countries,' or regional names (e.g., 'countries in Sub-Saharan Africa'). 'Global South' is also used in some contexts.
It was coined during the Cold War (c. 1952) by French demographer Alfred Sauvy to describe nations not aligned with either the capitalist 'First World' (NATO) or the communist 'Second World' (Warsaw Pact).
Yes, informally (e.g., 'the public transport here is third world'), but this usage is still derogatory as it equates underdevelopment with a negative standard and should be used with caution.
A term historically used to refer to the developing countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, characterized by low industrialization and low standards of living relative to developed nations.
Third world is usually dated, potentially offensive; academic/historical; informal (in extended, metaphorical use). in register.
Third world: in British English it is pronounced /ˌθɜːd ˈwɜːld/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌθɜːrd ˈwɜːrld/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No longer a first world problem, it's a third world reality.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a historical 'third' place on an outdated podium: First (developed West), Second (Soviet bloc), Third (everyone else).
Conceptual Metaphor
THE WORLD IS A HIERARCHY (first, second, third). UNDERDEVELOPMENT IS A PLACE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context might the term 'third world' still be acceptably used?