# cosmetic vs cosmetics

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### cosmetic
*adjective · IPA /kɒzˈmɛtɪk/ · frequency rank #11,008*
Imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion.

### cosmetics
*noun · IPA /kɒzˈmɛt.ɪks/ · frequency rank #11,674*
Preparations applied externally to change or enhance the beauty of skin, hair, nails, lips, and eyes.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cosmetic-vs-cosmetics