Etymo

cosmopolitan

International in outlook or made up of people from many places.

Played on · Day 35 · word 1 of 5

A citizen of the world

How cosmopolitan reached English

oldest first

Simplified path. The puzzle showed the main steps; the full route is being checked.

  • kosmos‘world’
  • politēs‘citizen’

combined

  1. Greek

    kosmopolitēs

    ‘World-citizen’

    into New Latin

  2. New Latin

    cosmopolites

    ‘A citizen of the world’

    into English

  3. English

    cosmopolitan

    ‘International in outlook’

The story of cosmopolitan

The family of cosmopolite and cosmopolitan reaches Greek kosmopolitēs: a world-citizen.

The sources distinguish the adjective and noun histories; this round scores the deeper components rather than a single first-use date.

Sources

Also built on Greek politēs

  • cosmopolitan, this word
  • politics
  • political

A description of belonging became a way to describe an international outlook.

More words from 10 October 2026

  1. coyShyly reserved or reluctant to reveal something.
  2. spinsterA term associated with an unmarried woman.
  3. stewardSomeone entrusted with managing property, supplies or an organisation.
  4. alligatorA large aquatic reptile with a broad snout.

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