Standard Lemma guide

macrocosm

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈmæk.ɹə(ʊ)ˌkɒz.əm/
  • US: /ˈmæk.ɹəˌkɑz.əm/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A complex structure, such as a society, considered as a single entity that contains numerous similar, smaller-scale structures.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The universe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

everything that exists anywhere

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they study the evolution of the universe
  • the biggest tree in existence

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: universe, existence, creation, world, cosmos

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: natural object

Narrower terms: closed universe, natural order, nature

History

Etymology

From Middle French macrocosme (from Old French macrocosme) and Medieval Latin macrocosmus, formed from Ancient Greek μακρός (makrós, “great, long”) + κόσμος (kósmos, “universe, order”).

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 大宇宙 (dàyǔzhòu) — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Dutch: macrokosmos — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • French: macrocosme — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • German: Makrokosmos — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Greek: μακρόκοσμος (makrókosmos) — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Indonesian: makrokosmos — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Italian: macrocosmo — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Japanese: 大宇宙 (daiuchū) — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Macedonian: макроко́смос (makrokósmos) — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Portuguese: macrocosmo — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Romanian: macrocosm — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Romanian: macrocosmos — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Russian: макроко́см (makrokósm) — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Spanish: macrocosmo — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Volapük: gretavol — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures
  • Volapük: makrokosmod — a complex structure containing numerous smaller-scale structures