Microcosm
/ˈmaɪ.krəʊ.kɒz.əm/noun
A small system or world that is considered to represent a larger one.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek philosophy, where the human being was often described as a microcosm of the cosmos: a little universe reflecting the order of the whole.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
mikrós kósmos
“small world; a miniature universe”
Late Greek / Hellenistic
Greek
mikrókosmos
“a microcosm, especially the human being as a reflection of the universe”
Late Latin
Latin
microcosmus
“microcosm”
16th Century
English
microcosme
“a little world; a miniature representation of the universe”
Modern English
English
microcosm
“a small system or entity that reflects a larger one”