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Synonyms

cosmopolitanism

American  
[koz-muh-pol-i-tn-iz-uhm] / ˌkɒz məˈpɒl ɪ tnˌɪz əm /

noun

  1. the fact or condition of belonging to all the world and not just one part, or of being at home all over the world.

    My cosmopolitanism is the result of a childhood being towed around the world by a restless father.

    Most studies of Victorian literature focus on the cosmopolitanism and global reach of realism.

  2. freedom from local or national ideas, values, and prejudices.

    Countries hosting this event will be able to join in a global celebration of cosmopolitanism and cultural diversity.

  3. Botany, Zoology. the fact or property of being widely distributed over the globe.

    By more minutely tracing the relations of the freshwater fauna to those of the marine fauna, perhaps the cosmopolitanism of freshwater animals can be explained.


Other Word Forms

  • noncosmopolitanism noun

Etymology

Origin of cosmopolitanism

cosmopolitan ( def. ) + -ism ( def. )

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.

As the first foreign king to sit on its throne, John brought the provincial city its first taste of cosmopolitanism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

A concerted campaign has cropped up seemingly overnight to turn Mamdani’s victory into an opportunity to attack cosmopolitanism.

From Salon • Jun. 26, 2025

Mr Suraiya spiritedly defended the magazine: "JS spoke to a certain urban educated cultural sensibility that was in a sense, Westernised, but it was shaping a distinctly Indian cosmopolitanism".

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2023

"Ostelsheim has set a clear example, and in that sense has also made history. Also a strong signal for cosmopolitanism, for tolerance," he said, adding he might never have had such chances in Syria.

From Reuters • Apr. 5, 2023

There is probability in Professor Brander Matthews's suggestion that in our growing cosmopolitanism national divergencies in content will exist with a growing agreement in form.

From Tragedy by Thorndike, Ashley H.