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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

cosmetic en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • /kɔzˈmet.ɪk/ (Australia)
  • (US) audio
  • /kɑzˈmɛt.ɪk/ (Canada, US)
  • [kɔzˈmeɾ.ɪk] (Australia)
  • [kɑzˈmɛɾ.ɪk] (Canada, US)
  • /kɒzˈmɛtɪk/ (UK)

Etymology

From French cosmétique, from Ancient Greek κοσμητική (kosmētikḗ, “the art of dress and ornament”), κοσμητικός (kosmētikós), from κοσμητής (kosmētḗs, “orderer, director, decorator”), from κοσμέω (kosméō, “to order, to arrange, to rule, to adorn, to equip, to dress, to embellish”), from κόσμος (kósmos, “order”). By surface analysis, cosmos + -etic.

Meanings

  1. Imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion.
    • Firſt, rob'd in white, the nymph intent adores / With head uncover'd, the coſmetic pow'rs. 1714, Alexander Pope, “The Rape of the Lock”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC, canto I, page 127:
    • a cosmetic preparation
  2. External or superficial; pertaining only to the surface or appearance of something.
    • Fortunately, the damage to the house was mostly cosmetic and a bit of paint covered it nicely.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
more cosmetic Degree=Cmp lexicographic
most cosmetic Degree=Sup lexicographic

Coordinates

aesthetic

Deriveds

nanocosmetic · noncosmetic · cosmetic second · cosmeticise · cosmetically · cosmeceutical · cosmeticism · cosmetic dentistry · cosmeticky · cosmeticize · anticosmetic · cosmetic surgeon · cosmeticology · biocosmetic · cosmetic surgery · dermocosmetic

Relateds

cosmetics · cosmos · cosmesis

Translations (22)

bg козметичен (external or superficial) · kw kosmetek (imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion) · ru космети́ческий (external or superficial) · ca cosmètic (external or superficial) · pt cosmético (external or superficial) · hu kozmetikai (external or superficial) · kk косметикалық (imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion) · cs kosmetický (external or superficial) · fi kosmeettinen (external or superficial) · kw kosmetek (external or superficial) · nn kosmetisk (external or superficial) · bg козметичен (imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion) · de kosmetisch (external or superficial) · ar تَجْمِيلِيّ (external or superficial) · ru космети́ческий (imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion) · mi whakapaipai (imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion) · pl kosmetyczny (imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion) · es cosmético (external or superficial) · nb kosmetisk (external or superficial) · pl powierzchowny (external or superficial) · es superficial (external or superficial) · ar تَجْمِيلِيّ (imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion)

cosmetic en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /kɔzˈmet.ɪk/ (Australia)
  • (US) audio
  • /kɑzˈmɛt.ɪk/ (Canada, US)
  • [kɔzˈmeɾ.ɪk] (Australia)
  • [kɑzˈmɛɾ.ɪk] (Canada, US)
  • /kɒzˈmɛtɪk/ (UK)

Etymology

From French cosmétique, from Ancient Greek κοσμητική (kosmētikḗ, “the art of dress and ornament”), κοσμητικός (kosmētikós), from κοσμητής (kosmētḗs, “orderer, director, decorator”), from κοσμέω (kosméō, “to order, to arrange, to rule, to adorn, to equip, to dress, to embellish”), from κόσμος (kósmos, “order”). By surface analysis, cosmos + -etic.

Meanings

  1. Any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin, e.g. lipstick, eyeshadow, eyeliner.
    • These endocrine disruptors are everywhere: plastics, shampoos, cosmetics, cushions, pesticides, canned foods and A.T.M. receipts. They often aren’t on labels and can be difficult to avoid. 2021 February 20, Nicholas Kristof, “What Are Sperm Telling Us?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
  2. A feature existing only on the surface.
  3. An intangible influence that improves the overall perception of some thing or situation.
    • All depends upon circumstances—anger as much as any thing else. Interest is your only true cosmetic for smoothing the brow. 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 217:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
cosmetics Number=Plur lexicographic

Coordinates

toiletry

Synonyms

product[Appendix:Glossary · make-up · makeup · war paint · slap · beauty product

Translations (26)

de Hautverschönerungsmittel (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · vo jönamedem (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · bg козме́тика (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · fr cosmétique (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · pl kosmetyk (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · fr cosmétiques (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · ca cosmètic (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · fa-ira کُسْماتیک (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · yi קאָסמעטיק (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · pt cosmético (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · vo jönameds (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · de Kosmetik (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · es afeite (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · de Kosmetikum (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · el καλλυντικό (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · hu kozmetikum (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · fi kosmetiikka (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · vo jönamed (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · es cosmético (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · ru косме́тика (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · hu szépítőszer (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · sv kosmetik (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · tl kosmetiko (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · cs kosmetika (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · vi mỹ phẩm (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin) · la offūcia (any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin)