microcosm

mi·cro·cosm

 (mī′krə-kŏz′əm)

n.

A small, representative system having analogies to a larger system in constitution, configuration, or development: "He sees the auto industry as a microcosm of the U.S. itself" (William J. Hampton).

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[Middle English microcosme, a human considered as a little universe, from Middle French, from Old French, from Late Latin mīcrocosmus, from Greek mīkros kosmos : mīkros, small + kosmos, world, order.]

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mi′cro·cos′mic (-kŏz′mĭk), mi′cro·cos′mi·cal (-mĭ-kəl) adj.

mi′cro·cos′mi·cal·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

microcosm

(ˈmaɪkrəʊˌkɒzəm) or

microcosmos

n

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

2. (Philosophy) man regarded as epitomizing the universe

[C15: via Medieval Latin from Greek mikros kosmos little world]

ˌmicroˈcosmic, ˌmicroˈcosmical adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

mi•cro•cosm

(ˈmaɪ krəˌkɒz əm)

also mi•cro•cos•mos

(ˌmaɪ krəˈkɒz məs, -moʊs)

n.

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

2. anything that is regarded as a world in miniature, as an individual or a town.

[1175–1225; Middle English < Medieval Latin microcosmus < Greek; see micro-, cosmos]

mi`cro•cos′mic, mi`cro•cos′mi•cal, adj.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

microcosm - a miniature model of something   example, model - a representative form or pattern; "I profited from his example"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Translations

μικρόκοσμος

microcosme

microcosmo

microcosmmicrocosmos

microcosm

[ˈmaɪkrəʊkɒzəm] N → microcosmo m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

microcosm

[ˈmaɪkrəʊkɒzəm] n → microcosme m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

microcosm

[ˈmaɪkrəʊˌkɒz/əm] n → microcosmo

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995