cosmopolitan
koz-muh-POL-ih-tun
/ˌkɒzməˈpɒlɪtən/
Containing people from many different countries and cultures; worldly and sophisticated.
Suggests a lack of provincial prejudice and a comfort with global diversity.
The story behind the word. The term was famously used by the Cynic philosopher Diogenes. When asked where he came from, he replied, 'I am a citizen of the world (kosmopolitēs),' rejecting the traditional Greek loyalty to a single city-state.
Word relationships
- multicultural: Focuses on the presence of many cultures; cosmopolitan adds a layer of sophistication.
- urbane: Focuses on being suave and refined, often associated with city life.
- provincial: Narrow-minded or unsophisticated; limited to a small region.
- insular: Ignorant of or uninterested in cultures outside one's own.
Commonly confused with
- international: International refers to relations between nations; cosmopolitan refers to a person or place influenced by many nations.
Word family
- cosmopolitanism (noun): The ideology that all human beings belong to a single community.
Collocations
- cosmopolitan outlook
- cosmopolitan city
- cosmopolitan atmosphere
Example sentences
- "The district had a truly cosmopolitan feel, with restaurants serving food from every continent." Describing the atmosphere of a diverse neighborhood.
- "He was a cosmopolitan, a man of the world." A literary description of a worldly character.
Memory hook
A 'Cosmo' (world) 'Politan' (politician/citizen) travels everywhere. Citizen of the World.
When not to use
Don't use it to describe a city that is simply large but culturally homogenous.
Fun facts
- The word was once used as a political slur in the Soviet Union to target intellectuals who were perceived as lacking patriotism.
Related words
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