Microcosm

Definitions

1. Human nature or the human body as representative of the wider universe; man considered as a miniature counterpart of divine or universal nature.
2. The human body; a person.
   obsolete
3. A smaller system which is seen as representative of a larger one.
4. A small natural ecosystem; an artificial ecosystem set up as an experimental model.

Equivalents

14 more languages

العربيةالعالم الصغير

Ελληνικάμικρόκοσμος

Suomimallimikrokosmospienoiskokopienoismaailmapienoismalli+ 2 more

Gaeilgemicreacosma

Italianomicrocosmo

日本語ミクロコスモス小宇宙縮図

한국어소우주축도

Latinamicrocosmus

Македонскимикрокосмос

Portuguêsmicrocosmo

Românămicrocosmos

Русскиймикрокосммикроко́смосмикроми́рмирок+ 1 more

Svenskamikrokosmos

Türkçemikrokozmos

Examples

“The Christian humanists were emphatic in their demand⟳ that a man who wishes to understand⟳ himself must realize⟳ that he is a little world that reflects on a smaller scale the larger world of the universe. […] On the other hand, the whole idea of man as a microcosm was questioned by those who were not in sympathy with the Christian humanists.”

“If you see⟳ this in the Map of my Microcosme, followes it that I am knowne well enough too?”

“Near-synonyms: epitome, paradigm, model⟳”

“That short journey to Brighton was like⟳ a microcosm of the railway universe, embracing as it did a tunnel, a viaduct, two junctions, and two termini! Unfortunately, the route was far from direct⟳.”

“‘In a sense⟳, the problems experienced at Bristol are like⟳ a microcosm of what is happening in the NHS - experienced surgeons battling against difficult circumstances, with inadequate resources and in a culture where the finding of scapegoats appears to be put⟳ before the finding of solutions.’”

“Steve Bruce's side have⟳ swung from highs to lows in what has been at best a wildly inconsistent start⟳ to the season. They experienced a microcosm of this within the opening 45 minutes at the Stadium of Light⟳.”

“It should come⟳ as no surprise⟳ to see⟳ promotional material and bulletin boards in the department’s languages, though English is also present⟳ in the signage of this microcosm of the institution.”

“The wider North West and Central Region is itself a microcosm of the industry's complexity. Covering the approaches to London Euston, stretching through Birmingham and the West Midlands, and reaching Manchester, Liverpool and beyond, it is a patchwork of overlapping markets, political geographies, and infrastructure types.”

“The method is relatively labour intensive (24-30 microcosms are run⟳) and more difficult to interpret⟳ when compared with other microcosm methods (Shannon et al. 1986; Cairns & Cherry 1993).”

CEFR level