cosmetic

From French cosmétique, from Ancient Greek κοσμητική (kosmētikḗ, “the art of dress and ornament”), κοσμητικός (kosmētikós), from κοσμητής (kosmētḗs, “orderer, director, decorator”), from κοσμέω (kosméō, “to order, to arrange, to rule, to adorn, to equip, to dress, to embellish”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kɒzˈmɛtɪk/
• (US, Canada) IPA^(key): /kɑzˈmɛt.ɪk/, [kɑzˈmɛɾ.ɪk]

  • Audio (US):

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• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /kɔzˈmet.ɪk/, [kɔzˈmeɾ.ɪk]

cosmetic (comparative more cosmetic, superlative most cosmetic)

1. Imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion.

   Coordinate term: aesthetic

   a cosmetic preparation

   • 1714, Alexander Pope, “The Rape of the Lock”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC, canto I, page 127:

     Firſt, rob'd in white, the nymph intent adores / With head uncover'd, the coſmetic pow'rs.

2. External or superficial; pertaining only to the surface or appearance of something.

   Fortunately, the damage to the house was mostly cosmetic and a bit of paint covered it nicely.

• cosmesis
• cosmetics
• cosmos

cosmetic (plural cosmetics)

1. Any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin, e.g. lipstick, eyeshadow, eyeliner; makeup.
   • 2021 February 20, Nicholas Kristof, “What Are Sperm Telling Us?”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN:

     These endocrine disruptors are everywhere: plastics, shampoos, cosmetics, cushions, pesticides, canned foods and A.T.M. receipts. They often aren’t on labels and can be difficult to avoid.

2. A feature existing only on the surface.
3. An intangible influence that improves the overall perception of some thing or situation.
   • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 217:

     All depends upon circumstances—anger as much as any thing else. Interest is your only true cosmetic for smoothing the brow.

• (substances enhance external color or texture): beauty products, makeup, product, slap, war paint

• (substances enhance external color or texture): See also Thesaurus:toiletry

• makeup

• “cosmetic”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “cosmetic”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• “cosmetic”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Borrowed from French cosmétique.

cosmetic m or n (feminine singular cosmetică, masculine plural cosmetici, feminine and neuter plural cosmetice)

1. cosmetic