German word

Kosmos

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈkɔsmɔs/

Meaning

  • masculine noununiverse

Example

Wir erforschen den Kosmos mit Teleskopen.

We are exploring the universe with telescopes.

Illustration for Kosmos (universe)

More examples

Die Weiten des Kosmos sind für Astronomen faszinierend.

The vast reaches of the universe are fascinating to astronomers.

Core concept

The stars, planets, and space understood together as one organized reality.

Common phrases

  • die Weiten des Kosmos

    the vast reaches of the universe

  • vom Kosmos fasziniert

    fascinated by the universe

Similar words

Universum: The totality of everything that exists in space and time.
Weltall: The wide expanse of outer space that includes Earth and the stars.
Weltraum: The actual expanse beyond Earth's atmospheric boundary.
Galaxie: A massive collection of stars and interstellar material bound by gravity.

Definition in German

Wort für das Universum oder das gesamte Weltall, besonders im Sinn einer geordneten, zusammenhängenden Gesamtheit.

Word origin

Kosmos entered German as a learned borrowing from Latin cosmos, ultimately from Greek kósmos, whose meanings included order and world.

Usage tips

  • In ordinary German, Weltall is often the more neutral word for physical outer space, while Kosmos gives the whole a more unified or abstract framing.

Opposites

Related words

  • kosmischcosmicadjective
  • Kosmologiecosmologynoun

Word lists with this word