What is a word for having a lot of life experience or a person with a lot of life experience?
I am trying to think of a word, other than mature, that means "to have a lot of life experience" and that would be able to describe a person with such. (By "life experience" I mean more than just growing up and learning to live in the world; more like "to be good at interacting with people and dealing with things negative and positive as if it were a skill.")
For instance the word guile can mean to have sly or cunning intelligence (from a quick google search of "define guile"). So with guile you could say that a person has plenty of guile.
Solution 1:
worldly-wise (or world-wise)
Prepared by experience for life’s difficulties; not easily shocked or deceived
Lisa was sufficiently worldly-wise to understand the situation
or worldly
Experienced in human affairs; sophisticated or worldly-wise:
"an experienced and worldly man who had been almost everywhere"
have been around (a bit) (informal)
if someone has been around, they have had a lot of experience of life and know a lot of things
She's been around a bit - she should know how to look after herself.
a man/woman of the world
someone who has a lot of experience of life, and is not usually shocked by the way people behave
You're a man of the world, Roger, I'd appreciate your advice on a rather delicate matter.
Also ripe, seasoned, hardbitten can be used in this context.
Solution 2:
sea·soned
To render competent through trial and experience: a lawyer who had been seasoned by years in the trial courts.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/seasoned
Solution 3:
I would say that person is street smart|wise.
Can also say you are wise beyond your years.