cosmetic
/kɑzˈmɛt.ɪk/adjective, noun
cosmetic is spelled C-O-S-M-E-T-I-C: 8 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 5.1 times per million words in written English, the 11,015th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, cosmetic means “Imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in cosmetic?
| Letters | 8: C-O-S-M-E-T-I-C |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 5.1 times per million words; the 11,015th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is cosmetic?
Cosmetic appears 5.1 times per million words in written English, the 11,015th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce cosmetic?
- UK /kɒzˈmɛtɪk/
- US /kɑzˈmɛt.ɪk/
- US [kɑzˈmɛɾ.ɪk]
Cosmetic has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-cosmetic.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with cosmetic?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as cosmetic from its last stressed vowel (/ɛtɪk/):
- magnetic
- energetic
- poetic
- electromagnetic
- diabetic
- kinetic
- arithmetic
- prosthetic
- apologetic
- empathetic
- phylogenetic
- apathetic
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of cosmetic
- more cosmetic comparative
- most cosmetic superlative
- cosmetics plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does cosmetic mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion.
a cosmetic preparation
- 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.
noun
- 1
Any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin, e.g. lipstick, eyeshadow, eyeliner.
- 2
A feature existing only on the surface.
- 3
An intangible influence that improves the overall perception of some thing or situation.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Cosmetic in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | kosmetisch , Kosmetikum, Kosmetik, Hautverschönerungsmittel |
| Portuguese | cosmético |
| Spanish | cosmético, superficial , afeite |
| French | cosmétique, cosmétiques |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does cosmetic come from?
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”), from κόσμος (kósmos, “order”). By surface analysis, cosmos + -etic.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).