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

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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

These remnants would help bridge incompatible theories of the cosmos at its largest and smallest scales, as well as possibly constitute a sizable portion of the presently unaccounted-for dark matter. — Adam Hadhazy, Discover Magazine, "Scientists Hunt for A Seeming Paradox: A Magnet With Only One Pole," 13 Nov. 2018 What is the meaning of my little slice of time in the context of the whole history of the cosmos? — Hans Aschim, Harper's BAZAAR, "Three Women in Science Who Broke the Glass Ceiling," 5 Oct. 2018 Among flowers, good bets are breadseed or ladybird poppies, California poppies, foxglove, nigella, columbine, nicotiana, bachelor’s buttons, cosmos, coreopsis, calendula and scabiosa. — Pam Peirce, SFChronicle.com, "The joy of seed saving," 6 July 2018 The lone explorer has been drifting alone in the cosmos for months now, never to return to Earth. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "SpaceX's Starman Has Passed Beyond the Orbit of Mars," 5 Nov. 2018 Astronomers use the orbiting observatory to peer deep into the cosmos, revealing faraway solar systems as well as galaxies and black holes. — Marcia Dunn, The Seattle Times, "Hubble Space Telescope sidelined by serious pointing failure," 8 Oct. 2018 Even the most extreme events—like the eruption of Mount Vesuvius—could be contained within a human cosmos. — Edward Rothstein, WSJ, "‘Extreme Nature!’ Review: Horror and Beauty in the World Around Us," 13 Nov. 2018 Turns out, there are entire cosmos inside our micro histories. — New York Times, "Samantha Hunt: By the Book," 21 June 2018 The idea emerged about 1,500 years ago that God would not waste his creative energy producing a cosmos full of planets without life on them. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, "Why Earthlings Are So Obsessed With Mars," 1 May 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.