From French cosmétique, from Ancient Greek κοσμητική, κοσμητικός, from κοσμητής ("orderer, director, decorator"), from κοσμέω ("to order, to arrange, to rule, to adorn, to equip, to dress, to embellish").

• (British) IPA: /kɒzˈmɛtɪk/
• (America, Canada) IPA: /kɑzˈmɛt.ɪk/, [kɑzˈmɛɾ.ɪk]
• (Australia) IPA: /kɔzˈmet.ɪk/, [kɔzˈmeɾ.ɪk]

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

• Russian: космети́ческий

• German: kosmetisch
• Portuguese: cosmético
• Russian: космети́ческий
• Spanish: cosmético, superficial

cosmetic (plural cosmetics)

1. Any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin, e.g. lipstick, eyeshadow, eyeliner; makeup.
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 product, makeup, product, slap, war paint

• French: cosmétique, cosmétiques
• German: Kosmetikum, Kosmetik, Hautverschönerungsmittel
• Portuguese: cosmético
• Russian: косме́тика
• Spanish: cosmético, afeite