Where does “open world” come from?

open world (English) comes from English World, from Middle English world, from Old English weorold, from Proto-West Germanic weraldi, from Proto-Germanic weraldiz, from Proto-Germanic weraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

open world (English): A gameworld that the player may traverse freely, rather than being restricted to certain predefined areas and quests

Definitions

  1. A gameworld that the player may traverse freely, rather than being restricted to certain predefined areas and quests

Ancestry of “open world”, step by step

open world traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English World

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWorldThe specific world, or any of several specific constituent worlds, that humans live in, among any other (real or possible) worlds
2Middle EnglishworldThe world, the planet; A dimension, realm, or...
3Old Englishweoroldworld
4Proto-West Germanicweraldiworld
5Proto-Germanicweraldizlifetime, worldly existence; mankind; world
6Proto-Germanicwerazman; husband
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
8Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute

via English open

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishopenNot closed; Not physically drawn together,...
2Middle Englishopenopen
3Old Englishopenopen
4Proto-West Germanic*opanopen
5Proto-Germanicupanazopen
6Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European wiHrósEvery word from Proto-Germanic weraz