cosmos

noun

cos·​mos ˈkäz-məs How to pronounce cosmos (audio)
 senses 1 & 2 also  -ˌmōs,
-ˌmäs How to pronounce cosmos (audio)
1
b(1)
: an orderly harmonious systematic universe compare chaos
(2)
2
: a complex orderly self-inclusive system
3
plural cosmos ˈkäz-məs How to pronounce cosmos (audio)
-məz
also cosmoses ˈkäz-mə-səz How to pronounce cosmos (audio) [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

Illustration of cosmos

Illustration of cosmos
  • cosmos 3

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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 Within our cosmos, one force is inescapable: gravity. Janna Levin, Quanta Magazine, 29 Aug. 2024 Add plants that support all stages of the pollinators’ lifecycle, such as various types of milkweed, coneflowers, bee balm, and cosmos to feed pollinators from summer through fall. Peter Gorman, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2024 But there are special moments in the lifetime of our universe—such as its infancy, when the whole cosmos was the size of an atom—for which this disregard for small-scale physics fails us. Edgar Shaghoulian, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2022 The Cupola is a control center in the ISS with seven portholes that allow astronauts to work while enjoying a 360-degree view of the outside, providing an exceptional observatory for studying the Earth and the entire cosmos. Massimo Comparini, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2023 See all Example Sentences for cosmos 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cosmos.' 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

Greek kosmos

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cosmos was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near cosmos

Cite this Entry

“Cosmos.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmos. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

cosmos

noun
cos·​mos ˈkäz-məs How to pronounce cosmos (audio)
senses 1 & 2 also
-ˌmōs How to pronounce cosmos (audio)
-ˌmäs
1
: the orderly universe
2
: a complex harmonious system
3
: a tall garden plant that is related to the daisies and has showy white, pink, or rose-colored flower heads with usually yellow centers

More from Merriam-Webster on cosmos

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