cosmos

[koz-mohs, -muhs]

noun

plural

cosmos, cosmoses 

1. the world or universe regarded as an orderly, harmonious system.

2. a complete, orderly, harmonious system.

3. order; harmony.

4. any composite plant of the genus Cosmos, of tropical America, some species of which, as C. bipannatus and C. sulphureus, are cultivated for their showy ray flowers.

5. (initial capital letter),  Also Kosmos. one of a long series of Soviet satellites that have been launched into orbit around the earth.

Cosmos

¹

/ ˈkɒzmɒs /

noun

1. astronautics any of various types of Soviet satellite, including Cosmos 1 (launched 1962) and nearly 2000 subsequent satellites

cosmos

²

/ ˈkɒzmɒs /

noun

1. the world or universe considered as an ordered system

2. any ordered system

3. harmony; order

4. any tropical American plant of the genus Cosmos, cultivated as garden plants for their brightly coloured flowers: family Asteraceae (composites)

cosmos

1. The universe, especially when considered as an orderly and harmonious whole.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cosmos¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English, from Greek kósmos “order, form, arrangement, the world or universe”

Word History and Origins

Origin of cosmos¹

C17: from Greek kosmos order, world, universe

Example Sentences

Oxygen is produced in older massive stars and dispersed into the cosmos through supernova explosions when they die.

Read more on Space Scoop

Some supermassive black holes can become quasars – some of the brightest objects in the cosmos.

Read more on Space Scoop

As telescopes get bigger and better, they’ll be able to search deeper into the cosmos to study scenarios like these.

Read more on Space Scoop

Discovering more of these faint, hidden masses and understanding what they are could help eliminate certain explanations for dark matter, the invisible material believed to make up roughly one-quarter of the cosmos.

Read more on Science Daily

As for the cosmos itself, “the universe is huge, and we are tiny.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• galaxy 
• solar system 

When To Use

What is the cosmos flower?

A cosmos is a flower with brightly colored, raylike petals.The name cosmos can be used for any plant in the genus Cosmos. The plural can be cosmos or cosmoses.Cosmoses are popular in gardens. Two of the best-known species are Cosmos bipannatus and Cosmos sulphureus (known as sulphur cosmos), both of which are cultivated for their flowers.Cosmos flowers vary widely in color. Varieties include yellow, orange, pink, and purple. In some varieties, the petals are notched at the tips.Cosmos are one of the October birth flowers (a flower that’s associated with a particular month in the same way as a birthstone).Example: The display at the botanical garden featured flashy orange cosmoses.