macrocosm

[ mak-ruh-koz-uhm ]
See synonyms for macrocosm on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the great world or universe; the universe considered as a whole (opposed to microcosm).

  2. the total or entire complex structure of something: the macrocosm of war.

  1. a representation of a smaller unit or entity by a larger one, presumably of a similar structure.

Origin of macrocosm

1
1590–1600; <French macrocosme<Medieval Latin macrocosmus.See macro-, cosmos

Other words from macrocosm

  • mac·ro·cos·mic, adjective
  • mac·ro·cos·mi·cal·ly, adverb

Words Nearby macrocosm

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How to use macrocosm in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for macrocosm

macrocosm

/ (ˈmækrəˌkɒzəm) /


noun
  1. a complex structure, such as the universe or society, regarded as an entirety, as opposed to microcosms, which have a similar structure and are contained within it

  2. any complex entity regarded as a complete system in itself

Origin of macrocosm

1
C16: via French and Latin from Greek makros kosmos great world

Derived forms of macrocosm

  • macrocosmic, adjective
  • macrocosmically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for macrocosm

macrocosm

A representation of something on a much larger scale. (Compare microcosm.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.