microcosm

noun

mi·​cro·​cosm ˈmī-krə-ˌkä-zəm How to pronounce microcosm (audio)
1
: a little world
especially : the human race or human nature seen as an epitome (see epitome sense 1) of the world or the universe
2
: a community or other unity that is an epitome (see epitome sense 2) of a larger unity
The suburb has been the microcosm of the city.
microcosmic adjective
microcosmically adverb
Phrases
in microcosm
: in a greatly diminished size, form, or scale

Did you know?

Small wonder that the oldest meaning of microcosm in our dictionary is “little world”: the word comes ultimately from the Greek phrase mikros kosmos, meaning “little universe.” That meaning can be applied to many a wee realm, as in “the microcosm of the atom,” but microcosm was originally used by medieval scholars specifically to refer to humans as miniature embodiments of the natural universe. Microcosm soon expanded to refer to places (such as neighborhoods or other communities) thought to embody at a small scale characteristics of larger places, and later to anything serving as an apt representation of something bigger—as when Arthur C. Clarke, famed author of much fiction and nonfiction set in the cosmos, noted that “a sunken ship is a microcosm of the civilization that launched it.”

Examples of microcosm in a Sentence

The village is a microcosm of the whole country. The game was a microcosm of the entire season.
Recent Examples on the Web Pennsylvania is a microcosm of the campaign ahead for Harris and Trump, where the nominees are in a literal head-to-head polling tie, according to RealClearPolitics. Naomi Lim, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Oct. 2024 This is a microcosm of the political battles that continue to be waged over clean-air policies. Christine Ro, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024 This could have functioned as a microcosm of the film’s overall arc, though the filmmakers are determined to deliver a cozier take on the arguably bleak narrative. Catherine Bray, Variety, 4 Oct. 2024 In many ways the play, when running back Bijan Robinson ran to this left and lost three yards under pressure from Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton, was a microcosm of Atlanta’s frustrating offensive night. Andrew Greif, NBC News, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for microcosm 

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

Middle English, from Medieval Latin microcosmus, modification of Greek mikros kosmos

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of microcosm was in the 15th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near microcosm

Cite this Entry

“Microcosm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microcosm. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

microcosm

noun
mi·​cro·​cosm ˈmī-krə-ˌkäz-əm How to pronounce microcosm (audio)
: an individual or community thought of as a miniature universe or a world in itself
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!