Words / C1

kozm-uh-POL-it-uh-n/ˌkɒzməˈpɒlɪtən/

Cosmopolitan means containing people and ideas from many countries, or worldly in outlook: a cosmopolitan city, a cosmopolitan education. International is everyday and more factual; multicultural stresses several cultures living together; worldly can mean experienced, not necessarily international. In speech, mixed and international is enough. The word can praise openness or, in older use, sneer at rootlessness — context decides.

Meaning

Containing people and ideas from many countries; worldly.

Examples

• “London is a cosmopolitan city.”
• “The campus is cosmopolitan in intake, not only in the prospectus photographs.”
• “A cosmopolitan reading list still needs local knowledge to land.”

Good to know

International in mix or outlook. Everyday: international / worldly. Close: multicultural (several cultures). Can praise or, rarely, sneer.

Near in meaning

international

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