cosmology (redirected from cosmologies)

cos·mol·o·gy  (kz-ml-j)

n. pl. cos·mol·o·gies

1. The study of the physical universe considered as a totality of phenomena in time and space.

2.

a. The astrophysical study of the history, structure, and constituent dynamics of the universe.

b. A specific theory or model of this structure and these dynamics.

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cosmo·logic (-m-ljk), cosmo·logi·cal adj.

cosmo·logi·cal·ly adv.

cos·molo·gist n.

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cosmology

Noun

the study of the origin and nature of the universe [Greek kosmos world + -logy]

cosmological adj
cosmologist n

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cosmology  (kz-ml-j)

1. The scientific study of the origin, evolution, and structure of the universe.

2. A specific theory or model of the origin and evolution of the universe.

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Cosmology

See also astronomy; planets; sun.

cosmism

a 19th-century theory about cosmic evolution, developed from contemporary science, that regards the cosmos as self-existent and self-acting. — cosmist, n.

cosmogony

1. a theory about the origin and the evolution of the universe.
2. the branch of astrophysics that studies the origin and evolution of specific astronomical systems and the universe as a whole.
3. cosmology. — cosmogonist, n. — cosmogonic, adj.

cosmography

1. the branch of astronomy that maps and describes the main features of the universe.
2. a description or representation of the main features of the universe. — cosmographer, n. — cosmographic, cosmographical, adj.

cosmology

1. the branch of astronomy that studies the overall structure of the physical universe.
2. the branch of philosophy that studies the origin, structure, and evolution of the universe, especially such characteristics as space, time, causality, and freedom. — cosmologic, cosmological, adj. — cosmologist, n.

cosmotheism

the concept that the universe and God are identical; pantheism. — cosmotheist, n.

cosmozoism

the concept of the cosmos as alive.

creationism

the belief concerning the creation by a transcendant God of the universe, matter, and living organisms out of nothing. — creationist, n.

geocentricism

1. the concept that the earth is the center of the universe.
2. Astronomy. the measurements or observations that are relative to the center of the earth. — geocentric, adj.

heliocentricism

1. the concept that the sun is the center of the universe.
2. Astronomy. the measurements or observations that are relative to the center of the sun. Also heliocentricity. — heliocentric, adj.

pancosmism

the theory that the totality of existence comprises only the physical universe in time and space. — pancosmic, adj.

Pansatanism

a Gnostic theory that considered Satan’s to be the controlling will of the universe.

Spencerianism

the philosophical theory of Herbert Spencer that cosmic evolution is cyclic, controlled by mechanical forces which tend toward equilibrium and relative complexity until a peak is reached, after which dissolution occurs, the universe reverts to a simple state, and the cycle begins again. — Spencerian, n., adj.

teleologism

the belief that purpose and design control the development of the universe and are apparent through natural phenomena. — teleologist, n. — teleology, n.

universology

the science of the universe. — universologist, n.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	cosmology - the metaphysical study of the origin and nature of the universe metaphysics - the philosophical study of being and knowing
	2.	cosmology - the branch of astrophysics that studies the origin and evolution and structure of the universe cosmogeny, cosmogony big bang theory, big-bang theory - (cosmology) the theory that the universe originated sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from the cataclysmic explosion of a small volume of matter at extremely high density and temperature nebular hypothesis - (cosmology) the theory that the solar system evolved from a hot gaseous nebula planetesimal hypothesis - (cosmology) the theory that the solar system was formed by the gravitational accumulation of planetesimals continuous creation theory, steady state theory - (cosmology) the theory that the universe maintains a constant average density with matter created to fill the void left by galaxies that are receding from each other; "the steady state theory has been abandoned in favor of the big bang theory" astrophysics - the branch of astronomy concerned with the physical and chemical properties of celestial bodies big bang - (cosmology) the cosmic explosion that is hypothesized to have marked the origin of the universe inflation - (cosmology) a brief exponential expansion of the universe (faster than the speed of light) postulated to have occurred shortly after the big bang closed universe - (cosmology) a universe that is spatially closed and in which there is sufficient matter to halt the expansion that began with the big bang; the visible matter is only 10 percent of the matter required for closure but there may be large amounts of dark matter cosmic string, string - (cosmology) a hypothetical one-dimensional subatomic particle having a concentration of energy and the dynamic properties of a flexible loop CBR, CMB, CMBR, cosmic background radiation, cosmic microwave background, cosmic microwave background radiation - (cosmology) the cooled remnant of the hot big bang that fills the entire universe and can be observed today with an average temperature of about 2.725 kelvin Hubble constant, Hubble parameter, Hubble's constant, Hubble's parameter - (cosmology) the ratio of the speed of recession of a galaxy (due to the expansion of the universe) to its distance from the observer; the Hubble constant is not actually a constant, but is regarded as measuring the expansion rate today ylem - (cosmology) the original matter that (according to the big bang theory) existed before the formation of the chemical elements dark matter - (cosmology) a hypothetical form of matter that is believed to make up 90 percent of the universe; it is invisible (does not absorb or emit light) and does not collide with atomic particles but exerts gravitational force