cosmopolitan
Definitions
Familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures; worldly and sophisticated
见多识广的；老于世故的；有国际视野的
Made up of or containing people from many parts of the world
世界性的；汇聚各地人的（如都市）
A person who is at home in many countries and cultures; a citizen of the world
见多识广的人；世界主义者；世界公民
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcosmo (world) + polit (citizen, the same root as in politics and metropolis) + -an = 'world-citizen.' A person who belongs not to one city or nation but to the whole world: hence broad-minded, well-travelled, at ease anywhere — and, of a place, full of people from everywhere.
Root cosmo still carries 4 more wordsWhy It Means This
All the senses radiate from one image — 'citizen of the world.' Applied to a person, it praises someone unfazed by foreign customs; applied to a city like London or Singapore, it describes a place where the whole world mingles. The same word is also a famous women's magazine and a vodka-based cocktail, both trading on its glamorous, worldly ring.
Usage Guide
- Of people (praise): a cosmopolitan outlook / a cosmopolitan crowd — broad-minded, well-travelled
- Of places: a cosmopolitan city — diverse, international (London, New York, Singapore)
- As a noun: 'a true cosmopolitan' = a citizen of the world
- Capitalized: Cosmopolitan (the magazine); 'a Cosmopolitan' / 'a Cosmo' (the cocktail)
- Tone: usually positive/admiring, unlike the neutral 'international'.
Example Sentences
- 1.
London is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city.
- 2.
She has a cosmopolitan outlook after living on three continents.
- 3.
He is a true cosmopolitan, equally at home in Tokyo or Paris.
Easily Confused
cosmopolitan vs international — Both involve 'many countries,' but international is neutral and factual (international flight, international law), while cosmopolitan is evaluative and cultural: it praises broad-mindedness and worldly ease. A trade deal is international; a person or city with worldly flair is cosmopolitan.