The "Old World" (Latin: Mundus Vetus) is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe c. 1596, after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. ...
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It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by their inhabitants as comprising the entire world, with the "New World", a term for the newly encountered lands of the Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas.