First Known Use: 1638
Dictionary
1cosmetic
adjective cos·met·ic \käz-ˈme-tik\
: used or done in order to improve a person's appearance
: done in order to make something look better
: not important or meaningful
Full Definition of COSMETIC
1
: of, relating to, or making for beauty especially of the complexion : beautifying <cosmetic salves>
2
: done or made for the sake of appearance: as a : correcting defects especially of the face <cosmetic surgery> b : decorative, ornamental c : not substantive : superficial <cosmetic changes>
3
: visually appealing
— cos·met·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
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Origin of COSMETIC
Greek kosmētikos skilled in adornment, from kosmein to arrange, adorn, from kosmos order
Related to COSMETIC
- Synonyms
- adorning, beautifying, decorative, embellishing, ornamental
- Antonyms
- functional, utilitarian
Rhymes with COSMETIC
aesthetic, ascetic, athletic, balletic, bathetic, cometic, eidetic, emetic, frenetic, gametic, genetic, hermetic, limnetic, magnetic, mimetic, noetic, Ossetic, paretic, pathetic, phenetic, phonetic, phyletic, poetic, prophetic, prosthetic, pyretic, splenetic, syncretic, syndetic, synthetic, tonetic, Venetic
2cosmetic
noun
: a substance (such as a cream, lotion, or powder) that you put on your face or body to improve your appearance
Full Definition of COSMETIC
: something that is cosmetic: as a : a cosmetic preparation for external use b plural : superficial features <a poem without rhetorical cosmetics — Guy Davenport>
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See cosmetic defined for kids
First Known Use of COSMETIC
1650
COSMETIC Defined for Kids
cosmetic
noun cos·met·ic \käz-ˈmet-ik\
Definition of COSMETIC for Kids
: a material (as a cream, lotion, or powder) used to improve a person's appearance
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