cosmic
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to the cosmos.
cosmic laws.
-
characteristic of the cosmos or its phenomena.
cosmic events.
-
immeasurably extended in time and space; vast.
- Synonyms:
- stupendous, enormous, immense
-
forming a part of the material universe, especially outside of the earth.
adjective
-
of or relating to the whole universe
cosmic laws
-
occurring or originating in outer space, esp as opposed to the vicinity of the earth, the solar system, or the local galaxy
cosmic rays
-
immeasurably extended in space or time; vast
-
rare harmonious
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cosmic
1640–50; < Greek kosmikós worldly, universal, equivalent to kósm ( os ) world, arrangement + -ikos -ic
Explanation
If it has to do with the universe, it's cosmic. The planets, for instance, are cosmic bodies. When you use the word cosmic to describe something big, you often use it with the word, proportions. A big mistake might be an error of cosmic proportions. In the 1960s, when humankind had been exploring space for about 10 years, the word cosmic became commonly used to describe things that might be considered "far out" or groovy. Like wow, man!
Vocabulary lists containing cosmic
Elements of the Universe: Cosm, Cosmo ("Universe")
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The Launch of Sputnik 1
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The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The object's brightness changed rapidly, making it immediately stand out from typical cosmic X-ray sources.
From Science Daily • Jun. 26, 2026
The reaction is swift, defensive and many times delivered with the vitriol of an adolescent facing the cosmic injustice of screen-time limits.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026
Its size matches the observed dark energy that drives cosmic acceleration.
From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2026
Nasa and Elon Musk's Space X were among industry giants to visit a factory which provides parachute material for cosmic exploration.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
On the assumption that many general readers are as unmathematical as I am, I will use them sparingly, though they are occasionally unavoidable, not least in a chapter dealing with things on a cosmic scale.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
