microcosm

[mahy-kruh-koz-uhm]

noun

1. a little world; a world in miniature (macrocosm ).

   The human body is a microcosm.

2. anything regarded as a representative, miniature version of a larger complex reality.

   The fictional small town of Black Rock, California, serves as a microcosm of America in the postwar era.

3. Environmental Science.,  a controlled experimental environment or ecosystem small enough to be housed in a laboratory and reproducing conditions that occur on a larger scale in the outdoors.

   Researchers have investigated the survival of this bacteria in saline solutions and seawater in laboratory microcosms.

4. human beings, humanity, society, or the like, viewed as an epitome or miniature of the world or universe.

   In the human microcosm, intellect is the deep spiritual center of being.

microcosm

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊˌkɒzəm, ˌmaɪkrəʊˈkɒzmɒs /

noun

1. a miniature representation of something, esp a unit, group, or place regarded as a copy of a larger one

2. man regarded as epitomizing the universe

microcosm

1. A representation of something on a much smaller scale. Microcosm means “small world,” and in the thought of the Renaissance, it was applied specifically to human beings, who were considered to be small-scale models of the universe, with all its variety and contradiction. (Compare macrocosm.)

Other Word Forms

• microcosmic adjective
• microcosmical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of microcosm¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; micro- ( def. ) + -cosm ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of microcosm¹

C15: via Medieval Latin from Greek mikros kosmos little world

Example Sentences

“It’s really a microcosm for climate change,” she said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But Mace’s relationship to the Epstein files is a microcosm of a larger dilemma facing Republican women — both politicians and voters — as a whole.

Read more on Salon

It was a camp that summed up the head coach's reign in microcosm: positive results but fans left wanting more from a talented squad.

Read more on BBC

His memoir, “Turf Wars,” is a modern-day “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” except this Mr. Smith is a descendant of slaves who believes the NFL’s “plantation” system is a microcosm of America.

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“A microcosm of this game was, we did enough good things to put ourselves in a position to win for most of the game,” said Redick.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• earth 
• nature