Dictionary.com
definitions

cosmopolitan

[koz-muh-pol-i-tn]
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR cosmopolitan ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

free from local, provincial, or national ideas, prejudices, or attachments; at home all over the world.
of or characteristic of a cosmopolite.
belonging to all the world; not limited to just one part of the world.
Botany, Zoology. widely distributed over the globe.

noun

a person who is free from local, provincial, or national bias or attachment; citizen of the world; cosmopolite.
a cocktail made with vodka, cranberry juice, an orange-flavored liqueur, and lime juice.

RELATED CONTENT

Globetrotter’s Glossary Of Travel TermsRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
cringeyRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

worldly, urbane, cultured, metropolitan, sophisticated, catholic, universal, smooth, public, ecumenical, global, gregarious, planetary, polished, worldwide, cultivated, well-travelled

Nearby words

  1. cosmologically,
  2. cosmology,
  3. cosmonaut,
  4. cosmonautics,
  5. cosmopolis,
  6. cosmopolitanize,
  7. cosmopolite,
  8. cosmos,
  9. cosmotron,
  10. cosplay

Origin of cosmopolitan

First recorded in 1835–45; cosmopolite + -an
ANTONYMS FOR cosmopolitan
1. provincial, parochial.
SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR cosmopolitan ON THESAURUS.COM
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cosmopolitan

British Dictionary definitions for cosmopolitan

cosmopolitan

noun

a person who has lived and travelled in many countries, esp one who is free of national prejudices

adjective

having interest in or familiar with many parts of the world
sophisticated or urbane
composed of people or elements from all parts of the world or from many different spheres
(of plants or animals) widely distributed
Derived Formscosmopolitanism, noun

Word Origin for cosmopolitan

C17: from French, ultimately from Greek kosmopolitēs, from kosmo- cosmo- + politēs citizen
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
Word Origin and History for cosmopolitan

cosmopolitan

adj.

1844, from cosmopolite "citizen of the world" (q.v.) on model of metropolitan. The U.S. women's magazine of the same name was first published in 1886. Cosmopolitanism first recorded 1828.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for cosmopolitan

cosmopolitan

[kŏz′mə-pŏl′ĭ-tn]

adj.

Growing or occurring in many parts of the world; widely distributed.

n.

A cosmopolitan organism.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.