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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The last decade of Lizzo’s career has been a microcosm of the modern American fame arc. Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025 This trial is a microcosm of a dangerous backlash that seeks to diminish the voices of survivors and preserve a culture in which men feel entitled to exploit women, while those who endure violence are shamed and intimidated into silence. Liz Roberts, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025 The whole show is about power, and so this is the microcosm of the power shift in the Brook house. Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2025 In that respect, Sunday was a microcosm of his whole season. Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for microcosm

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

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Cite this Entry

“Microcosm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microcosm. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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
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