Mesocosm
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any system larger than a microcosm but smaller than a macrocosm, especially when used as an outdoor experimental system that examines the natural environment under controlled conditions.
"Researchers from the University of Queensland were building an elaborate Plexiglas mesocosm that was going to allow them to manipulate CO₂ levels on a patch of reef, even as it allowed the various creatures that depend on the reef to swim in and out."
Example
More examples"Researchers from the University of Queensland were building an elaborate Plexiglas mesocosm that was going to allow them to manipulate CO₂ levels on a patch of reef, even as it allowed the various creatures that depend on the reef to swim in and out."
Etymology
From meso- + -cosm.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.