cosmos

noun

cos·mos | \ ˈkäz-məs

, senses 1 & 2 also -ˌmōs, -ˌmäs

Definition of cosmos

1a : universe sense 1

b(1) : an orderly harmonious systematic universe — compare chaos

(2) : order, harmony

2 : a complex orderly self-inclusive system

3 plural cosmos\ ˈkäz-məs

, -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

Synonyms Cosmos and the Universe Example Sentences Learn More about cosmos

Keep scrolling for more

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

Einstein’s elevation to global celebrity was boosted by the fact (emphasised by Eddington) that an Englishman had confirmed a German’s hypothesis which rewrote the rules of the cosmos. — The Economist, "How Einstein and Eddington stood against jingoism," 7 June 2019 The proposal represented a first guess at the quantum description of the cosmos — the wave function of the universe. — Quanta Magazine, "Physicists Debate Hawking’s Idea That the Universe Had No Beginning," 6 June 2019 And since astronomers have discovered many Neptune and Uranus-sized exoplanets, the findings could be applicable to far-flung parts of the cosmos. — National Geographic, "Bizarre form of hot ice seen on Earth," 8 May 2019 But, using the laws of physics and our understanding of the cosmos, scientists are able to recreate what a black hole should look like to a reasonable degree of accuracy. — Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, "Drawing the Invisible: The Many Ways Artists Have Imagined Black Holes," 9 Apr. 2019 For decades, a group of researchers on a quest to find extraterrestrial life have been listening patiently to the cosmos. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "What humpback whales can teach us about alien languages," 6 Dec. 2018 Here are snapshots of the concepts, which reach in scale from the individual to the cosmos. — Blair Kamin, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago in Venice: A first look at the U.S. pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale," 23 May 2018 Whether the intricate beauty of fungi or the grand wonder of the cosmos, there was no part of reality to big or small to consider. — Chloe Schama, Vogue, "Meet the Set Designer Behind For Björk Latest Showstopping Performance," 10 May 2019 Deuterium-rich stars would be larger, brighter, and redder than equivalent stars in our universe, resembling thered giant stars of our cosmos. — Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, "Why Alternate Universes Might Also Host Life Around their Stars," 26 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cosmos.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.