tiers-monde

Third World

noun tyehr-MOND Rare

Origin: Coined by French demographer Alfred Sauvy in 1952, by analogy with the 'third estate' of pre-revolutionary France.

Usage Note

Tiers-monde refers to the developing nations of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, a term that gained prominence during the Cold War. The related adjective tiers-mondiste describes ideologies or movements that advocate for these nations. The term is now somewhat dated; pays en développement is more current in formal usage.

Examples

"Ce débat concerne le tiers-monde."

Natural Translation

This debate concerns the Third World.

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