Illustration of cosmos
- cosmos 3
1
a
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: a complex orderly self-inclusive system
3
plural cosmos
ˈkäz-məs 
[New Latin, genus name, from Greek kosmos]
: any of a genus (Cosmos) of tropical American composite herbs
-məz
also cosmoses
ˈkäz-mə-səz
[New Latin, genus name, from Greek kosmos]
: any of a genus (Cosmos) of tropical American composite herbs
especially
: a widely cultivated tall annual (C. bipinnatus) with yellow or red disks and showy ray flowers
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Cosmos and the Universe
Cosmos often simply means "universe". But the word is generally used to suggest an orderly or harmonious universe, as it was originally used by Pythagoras in the 6th century B.C. Thus, a religious mystic may help put us in touch with the cosmos, and so may a physicist. The same is often true of the adjective cosmic: Cosmic rays (really particles rather than rays) bombard us from outer space, but cosmic questions come from human attempts to find order in the universe.
Examples of cosmos in a Sentence
the origins of the cosmos
an essay that ponders the place of humankind in the vast cosmos
Recent Examples on the Web
But what was truly stunning was that these ejections emitted gamma rays which were detected by NASA’s Fermi, showing that the blasts are capable of producing some of the most energetic emissions in the cosmos that are typically associated with black hole-forming supernovas.
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Frank Landymore, Futurism, 21 Jan. 2026
In this scenario, our universe could be the interior of a black hole formed in a previous cosmos.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 17 Jan. 2026
Every eyeful was a universe, a cosmos squeezed into a teacup.
—Susan Casey, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Based on their understanding of dark matter’s behavior and the hierarchical process of galaxy formation, astronomers have long predicted that such starless objects should exist throughout the cosmos.
—Jenna Ahart, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cosmos
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Frank Landymore, Futurism, 21 Jan. 2026
In this scenario, our universe could be the interior of a black hole formed in a previous cosmos.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 17 Jan. 2026
Every eyeful was a universe, a cosmos squeezed into a teacup.
—Susan Casey, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Based on their understanding of dark matter’s behavior and the hierarchical process of galaxy formation, astronomers have long predicted that such starless objects should exist throughout the cosmos.
—Jenna Ahart, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cosmos
Cite this Entry
“Cosmos.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmos. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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