A small, representative system having analogies to a larger system in constitution, configuration, or development: "He sees the auto industry as a microcosm of the U.S. itself" (William J. Hampton).
[Middle English microcosme, man as a little world, from Old French, from Late Latin mīcrocosmus, from Greek mīkros kosmos : mīkros, small + kosmos, world, order.]
microcosmic mi'cro·cos'mic (-kŏz'mĭk) or mi'cro·cos'mi·cal (-mĭ-kəl) adj.microcosmically mi'cro·cos'mi·cal·ly adv.





