Elements of the Universe: Cosm, Cosmo ("Universe")

The ancients believed that the universe was composed of five basic elements: earth, air, fire, water, and sky. The Greek and Latin words for these elements still show up in our language today. Learn these words that come from the Greek word kosmos (Latinized as cosmos), meaning "universe."

Here are links to our complete set of Elements of the Universe lists: Cosm, Cosmo ("Universe") / Terr, Terra ("Earth") / Geo ("Earth") / Hydr, Hydro ("Water") / Aqua ("Water") / Ign, Igni ("Fire") / Pyr, Pyro ("Fire") / Aer, Aero ("Air") / Aether ("Sky") / Aster, Astro ("Star") / Sol ("Sun")
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. cosmos
    the universe considered as a whole
    Is the cosmos filled with chatty alien civilizations, or is the Earth a lonely spark of life in a sterile universe? Scientific American (Jul 20, 2015)
  2. cosmic
    pertaining to or characteristic of the universe
    Reading about galaxies and cosmic microwaves helps me to breathe more easily. Counting by 7s
  3. cosmology
    the study of the evolution and structure of the universe
    An astronomer interested in Einstein’s theory because of its wide-ranging implications for astrophysics and cosmology, Eddington took on the task of proving it. Nature (Apr 14, 2019)
  4. cosmogony
    the branch of astrophysics that studies the origin and evolution and structure of the universe
    The cosmogony of the present day sets no outer limit to the solar system, and some astronomers advocate the existence of many trans-Neptunian planets. Todd, David Peck
    kosmos + gonos ("birth")
  5. cosmogenic
    pertaining to the branch of astronomy dealing with the origin and history and structure and dynamics of the universe
    In considering the cosmogenic arrangements of our globe, our attention is called in a special degree to the moon. Chambers, Robert
    kosmos + genus ("birth") + ic (suffix forming adjectives)
    The adjective is synonymous with the nearly identical "cosmogonic" (gonos is Greek, while genus is Latin).
  6. cosmography
    the science that maps the general features of the universe
    The comet is the deus ex machina; whenever one comes to a difficult question in cosmography, a comet is lugged in. Riou, Edouard
    kosmos + graphy (suffix forming names of descriptive sciences)
    This example sentence mixes ideas of science and religion to emphasize that cosmography is filled with many unanswerable questions. "Deus ex machina" translates into "god from the machine" and comes from the ancient Greek practice of resolving difficult conflicts in their plays with the sudden appearance of a god (an actor suspended over the stage).
  7. cosmopolitan
    composed of people from many parts of the world
    The ability to fly nonstop to destinations throughout the Western hemisphere and around the globe is yet another attribute justifying characterization of Washington as a world-class, cosmopolitan city. Washington Post (Jun 17, 2019)
    kosmos + polites ("citizen") + an (suffix forming adjectives)
  8. cosmopolite
    a sophisticated person who has travelled in many countries
    In one scene, the function of food as a status symbol for globe-trotting cosmopolites becomes clear. New York Times (Apr 18, 2018)
  9. cosmetic
    serving a decorative rather than a useful purpose
    Another risk is that their involvement could lead to cosmetic changes to the prison industry that shift attention away from the primary problems. The Guardian (Jul 17, 2015)
    kosmein ("to arrange; to order") + ic (suffix forming adjectives)
  10. cosmetology
    the practice of beautifying the face and hair and skin
    In some states it is a legal requirement that you have a cosmetology licence in order to engage in hair braiding. Forbes (Jan 27, 2015)
    kosmein ("to arrange, order") + logy (suffix meaning "branch of knowledge")
  11. cosmetician
    someone who sells or applies cosmetics
    Mr. Schwartz grew up roughly 155 miles east of Budapest in a woody Hungarian hamlet called Baktaloranthaza, where he worked for his father, a cosmetician known for his lavender perfumes and lotions. New York Times (Dec 27, 2013)
  12. cosmonaut
    a person trained to travel in a spacecraft
    After the famous “handshake in space,” the Soviet cosmonauts and U.S. astronauts worked on joint experiments. Time (Jul 17, 2015)
    kosmos + nautes ("sailor")
Created on Fri Aug 14 11:37:03 EDT 2015 (updated Mon Aug 26 14:54:53 EDT 2019)

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