cosmos

noun cos·mos \ ˈkäz-məs , senses 1 & 2 also -ˌmōs , -ˌmäs \

|Updated on: 6 Jun 2018

Examples: cosmos in a Sentence

Editor's Note: cosmos and the Universe

Definition of cosmos

1 a : universe 1

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

(2) : order, harmony

2 : a complex orderly self-inclusive system

3 plural cosmos play \ˈkäz-məs, -məz\ also cosmoses play \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

See cosmos defined for English-language learners

See cosmos defined for kids

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 of cosmos from the Web

Swirling gold spirals, faces morphing into garlands, bodies morphing into trees, the cosmos, Greek mythology, Munch, castles in the air . .

— eve macsweeney, Vogue, "This Cult Danish Jeweler’s Work Will Be Reissued at Dover Street Market," 1 June 2018
In 2017, the helmer released the divisive environmental allegory mother! and enlisted Patti Smith and Jessica Chastain to narrate a VR experience about the cosmos, Spheres.

— katie kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, "How Darren Aronofsky Recruited Astronauts for Environmental Doc Series 'One Strange Rock'," 31 May 2018
From various measurements, cosmologists have deduced that just 5% of the mass and energy of the cosmos is ordinary matter like that in stars and planets.

— adrian cho, Science | AAAS, "Galaxy simulations are at last matching reality—and producing surprising insights into cosmic evolution," 30 May 2018
The location high in the mountains of Chile is desirable because the air is so dry and thin here that atmospheric refraction, which obscures astronomers' views of the cosmos, is less of a hindrance than almost anywhere else on the planet.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "Extremely Large Telescope Construction Is Under Way in Chile," 7 May 2018
Absent a belief in a providentially ordered cosmos, Seneca’s comforts are thin and bloodless.

— brendan boyle, WSJ, "‘How to Die’ Review: Finish With a Flourish," 26 Apr. 2018
Since 2009, Kepler has been harvesting planets from the cosmos, spying the footprints of these alien worlds in distant starlight.

— National Geographic, "How This New Probe Will Hunt for 'Alien' Earths," 14 Apr. 2018
In the sun use zinnias, cosmos, vinca, moss rose and purslane.

— calvin finch, San Antonio Express-News, "What to plant now for serious garden color," 30 Mar. 2018
To attract bees and other pollinators, Saska recommends choosing flowers with a composite shape, like zinnias, cosmos, daisies, sunflowers, and purple coneflower.

— rebecca straus, Good Housekeeping, "Why You Should Always Plant Flowers In Your Vegetable Patch," 17 Feb. 2017

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.

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.