What does "cosmopolitanism" mean?
The quality of being cosmopolitan.; The idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community.
Cosmopolitanism
/ˌkɑzməˈpɑlɪtənɪzm̩/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The quality of being cosmopolitan.; The idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community.
- Grammar: cosmopolitanism is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: breadth, cultural openness, ecumenism, generalization.
- Useful contrasts: ethnic greekness, nation-state-like, national greekness.
- Usage evidence: They represent their reactionary cosmopolitanism as "internationalism", and they try to cover up their fight against peace and democracy with pacifist and pseudo-democratic phrases.
How to use "cosmopolitanism"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cosmopolitanism" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
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- 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 "cosmopolitanism" 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
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cosmopolitanism" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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Final meaning check
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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 The quality of being cosmopolitan.; The idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community. countable, uncountable
"The philosophy of cosmopolitanism underlies theories of global citizenship. Cosmopolitanism is the ability to balance a local and global identity. A cosmopolitan individual engages meaningfully with different cultures and feels at home in the world."
- 2 The quality of being cosmopolitan.; Transnationalism. countable, sometimes, uncountable
- 3 The quality of being cosmopolitan.; Transnationalism.; Jewishness. countable, euphemistic, sometimes, uncountable
"rootless cosmopolitanism"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"They represent their reactionary cosmopolitanism as "internationalism", and they try to cover up their fight against peace and democracy with pacifist and pseudo-democratic phrases."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cosmopolitanism"?
Common synonyms include: breadth, cultural openness, ecumenism, generalization, global citizenship, global governance.
How do you use "cosmopolitanism" in a sentence?
They represent their reactionary cosmopolitanism as "internationalism", and they try to cover up their fight against peace and democracy with pacifist and pseudo-democratic phrases.
How do you pronounce "cosmopolitanism"?
Pronounced /ˌkɑzməˈpɑlɪtənɪzm̩/.
Etymology
From cosmopolitan + -ism. The sense referring obliquely to Jewishness comes from the long era in which all Jews lived in the Jewish diaspora because Jews had been banished from the ancient Jewish homeland and no new homeland yet existed. In Soviet use it was rooted in fear of transnationalism generally but took on coded or dogwhistle antisemitic qualities that were not explicitly separable from the generality.