n.
Pronunciation: ' m ī -kr ə - ˌ kä-z ə m
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin microcosmus, modification of Greek mikros kosmos
Date: 15th century
1 : a little world especially : the human race or human nature seen as an epitome of the world or the universe
2 : a community or other unity that is an epitome of a larger unity
– mi · cro · cos · mic \ ˌ m ī -kr ə - ' käz-mik \ adjective
– mi · cro · cos · mi · cal · ly \ -mi-k( ə -)l ē \ adverb
– in microcosm : in a greatly diminished size, form, or scale