Meaning & use

microcosm

noun·Advanced

A small, representative version of something much larger.

See it in a sentence

The small town felt like a microcosm of the entire country's political divisions.

The classroom debate was a microcosm of the wider public disagreement.

A note on using this word

Usually follows 'a' and 'of,' pointing to the larger whole the small example reflects.

Words with a similar meaning

miniatureepitome

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

macrocosm

Make it your own

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