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
Astronomers could now search the cosmos for such events, the discovery of which would help verify Fuller's model.
—
Robert Lea, Space.com, 22 June 2026
Another survey will prompt the telescope to observe one specific region every five days over the course of two years to learn more about objects within the cosmos that change over time, such as exploding stars.
—Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026
The Swift Observatory has been observing the cosmos for more than two decades while orbiting around Earth.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Adrift in a cosmos devoid of fate, we human travelers possess only our luck and whatever choices are available to us.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cosmos
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Robert Lea, Space.com, 22 June 2026
Another survey will prompt the telescope to observe one specific region every five days over the course of two years to learn more about objects within the cosmos that change over time, such as exploding stars.
—Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026
The Swift Observatory has been observing the cosmos for more than two decades while orbiting around Earth.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Adrift in a cosmos devoid of fate, we human travelers possess only our luck and whatever choices are available to us.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 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 25 Jun. 2026.
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