microcosm

noun

mi·​cro·​cosm ˈmī-krə-ˌkä-zəm How to pronounce microcosm (audio)
1
: a little world
especially : the human race or human nature seen as an epitome (see epitome sense 1) of the world or the universe
2
: a community or other unity that is an epitome (see epitome sense 2) of a larger unity
The suburb has been the microcosm of the city.
microcosmic adjective
microcosmically adverb
Phrases
in microcosm
: in a greatly diminished size, form, or scale

Did you know?

Small wonder that the oldest meaning of microcosm in our dictionary is “little world”: the word comes ultimately from the Greek phrase mikros kosmos, meaning “little universe.” That meaning can be applied to many a wee realm, as in “the microcosm of the atom,” but microcosm was originally used by medieval scholars specifically to refer to humans as miniature embodiments of the natural universe. Microcosm soon expanded to refer to places (such as neighborhoods or other communities) thought to embody at a small scale characteristics of larger places, and later to anything serving as an apt representation of something bigger—as when Arthur C. Clarke, famed author of much fiction and nonfiction set in the cosmos, noted that “a sunken ship is a microcosm of the civilization that launched it.”

Examples of microcosm in a Sentence

The village is a microcosm of the whole country. The game was a microcosm of the entire season.
Recent Examples on the Web The royal-photo debacle is merely a microcosm of our current moment, where trust in both governing institutions and gatekeeping organizations such as the mainstream press is low. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 With Klopp leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, the pair embraced at fulltime after a game that was a microcosm of their almost decade-long battle at the top of the Premier League. Thomas Schlachter, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 Digital transformation efforts are often much more strategic and well organized, but as a microcosm of the point, most of our efforts in change and innovation are unsuccessful because of a lack of a real plan. Drew Cashmore, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Pittsburgh went 0 for 3 against the NHL's worst penalty kill, and a sequence that set up Barzal's goal served as a microcosm of its season. Will Graves, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024 Organized mainly online, the convoy is what extremism researchers see as a microcosm of the modern-day American right: angry at the federal government, hostile toward marginalized groups, and tolerant of violent rhetoric about political enemies. Hannah Allam, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2024 One of the key instrumentalists in popularizing the one drop rhythm, an authentic recapturing of Carly’s drum playing proved to be a microcosm of the One Love cast’s commitment to taking pride in every detail of the film’s music scenes. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2024 This schism is a microcosm of a larger, equally contentious debate over how to define autism itself. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 12 Feb. 2024 Hong Kong is one of the most biodiverse cities in the world, and its villages, which were often built around natural features and relied on the land, are a microcosm of that. Rebecca Cairns, CNN, 12 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'microcosm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin microcosmus, modification of Greek mikros kosmos

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of microcosm was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near microcosm

Cite this Entry

“Microcosm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microcosm. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

microcosm

noun
mi·​cro·​cosm ˈmī-krə-ˌkäz-əm How to pronounce microcosm (audio)
: an individual or community thought of as a miniature universe or a world in itself
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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