Cos

/kɑs/ conj, det, name, noun, slang

conj, det, name, noun, slang ·Moderate ·High school level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: Synonym of romaine lettuce, a long-leaved variety of lettuce.
  • Grammar: cos is listed as conj, det, name, noun, slang.
  • Nearest alternatives: cosine, cos lettuce, cosine function, romaine.
  • Usage evidence: Stay nice and quiet, okay, 'cos I'll be back real soon.

How to use "cos"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cos" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cos" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cos" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cos" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "cos" is acting as conj, det, name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "cosine" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "cos", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Synonym of romaine lettuce, a long-leaved variety of lettuce. UK
  2. 2
    Alternative form of coz, cousin. alt-of, alternative, informal
  3. 3
    plural of co form-of, plural
  4. 4
    Alternative form of coss, a traditional Nepali unit of distance. alt-of, alternative

    "The stages and distances are as follows:—Hitounda to Bhainsa Dobháng, 3½ cos; to Bhimphédy, 4 cos; to Tambakhâni, 3 cos; to Chitlong, 3 cos; to Thankot, 3 cos; to Káthmándú, 3 cos—Total, 19½ cos."

  5. 5
    lettuce with long dark-green leaves in a loosely packed elongated head wordnet
Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    ratio of the adjacent side to the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle wordnet
Conjunction
  1. 1
    Informal spelling of 'cause (“because”). Ireland, South-Africa, UK, alt-of, informal

    "Taking the shortcut through the alleyway by the Jobcentre Plus, just cos I can, we arrive at my flat within minutes."

Determiner
  1. 1
    Belonging to co. Gender-neutral possessive determiner, grammatically equivalent to the gendered his and her and the singular their. nonstandard

    "Psychiatrists are trained to try to impose the responsibility for a patient’s problem on the patient coself, rather than on cos environment."

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    Alternative spelling of Kos, an island of the Aegean, Greece. alt-of, alternative
  2. 2
    Initialism of Chamber of Secrets. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

Synonyms

All synonyms
cosinecos lettucecosine functionromaineromaine lettucetrigonometric function

Example

"Stay nice and quiet, okay, 'cos I'll be back real soon."

Common questions

What does "cos" mean?

Synonym of romaine lettuce, a long-leaved variety of lettuce.

What is a synonym for "cos"?

Common synonyms include: cosine, cos lettuce, cosine function, romaine, romaine lettuce, trigonometric function.

How do you use "cos" in a sentence?

Stay nice and quiet, okay, 'cos I'll be back real soon.

How do you pronounce "cos"?

Pronounced /kɑs/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

Clipping of cos lettuce, variously derived from the Greek island of Kos and from Arabic خس (ḵass, “lettuce”).

Etymology 2

Clipping of cousin.

Etymology 3

From co + -s.

Etymology 4

From Latin Cos, from Ancient Greek Κῶς (Kôs).

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