cos·mo·pol·i·tan
ˌkäz-mə-ˈpä-lə-tən 
1
: having wide international sophistication : worldly
Greater cultural diversity has led to a more cosmopolitan attitude among the town's younger generations.
2
: composed of persons, constituents, or elements from all or many parts of the world
a city with a cosmopolitan population
3
: having worldwide rather than limited or provincial scope or bearing
… his cosmopolitan benevolence, impartially extended to all races and to all creeds.—
Thomas Babington Macaulay
Thomas Babington Macaulay4
: found in most parts of the world and under varied ecological conditions
a cosmopolitan herb
1
: cosmopolite
Many cosmopolitans around the world now also share the English language …—Robert J. Shiller
Robert J. Shiller2
or less commonly cosmo
: a cocktail made of vodka, orange-flavored liqueur, lime juice, and cranberry juice
Did you know?
Defining Cosmopolitan (Not the Drink)
Since cosmopolitan includes the root polit-, from the Greek word for "citizen", someone who is cosmopolitan is a "citizen of the world". She may be able to read the morning paper in Rio de Janeiro, attend a lecture in Madrid, and assist at a refugee camp in Uganda with equal ease—and maybe all in the same week. And a city or a country that is cosmopolitan has aspects and elements that come from various countries.
Synonyms
Examples of cosmopolitan in a Sentence
Adjective
Greater cultural diversity has led to a more cosmopolitan attitude among the town's younger generations.
the cosmopolitan taste of the store's customers
It's one of the country's more cosmopolitan cities.
Noun
as someone who had lived in Paris for a year as an exchange student, she seemed very much the cosmopolitan to her old classmates
Recent Examples on the Web
Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Studies have found that relatively cosmopolitan Chinese students in the U.S. who experience racial discrimination, which a narrative of foreign influence can help fuel, become more supportive of authoritarian rule in China.
—Audrye Wong, TIME, 29 Sep. 2024
Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2024
Just like globalization forced us all to become cosmopolitans (citizens of the universe) by breaking spatial boundaries, the aging of the internet compels us to become archeopolitans—citizens of an archive—by breaking down temporal boundaries.
—Carl Öhman, TIME, 31 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for cosmopolitan 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Known for its openness and tolerance, Brighton is certainly one of Britain’s cosmopolitan cities with good quality of life, perfect for a short stay on a budget or for a long-term move for more comfortable budgets.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Studies have found that relatively cosmopolitan Chinese students in the U.S. who experience racial discrimination, which a narrative of foreign influence can help fuel, become more supportive of authoritarian rule in China.
—Audrye Wong, TIME, 29 Sep. 2024
Noun
Wildlife fanatics flock to Masai Mara for once-in-a-lifetime safaris, beach lovers island-hop through the turquoise waters of the Lamu Archipelago, and cosmopolitans appreciate Nairobi's growing culinary and art scene.
—Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2024
Just like globalization forced us all to become cosmopolitans (citizens of the universe) by breaking spatial boundaries, the aging of the internet compels us to become archeopolitans—citizens of an archive—by breaking down temporal boundaries.
—Carl Öhman, TIME, 31 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for cosmopolitan
Dictionary Entries Near cosmopolitan
Cite this Entry
“Cosmopolitan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmopolitan. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share