Kosmetikos

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Pertaining to the art or practice of beautifying or enhancing appearance, especially the face; relating to products or treatments designed to improve aesthetics; connected with personal grooming or adornment
2. Concerned with the skillful application of makeup or beauty treatments; describing substances or procedures aimed at improving outward appearance; linked to the field of cosmetology and personal care
3. Associated with techniques or items used to enhance physical attractiveness; referring to the use of beauty aids or refinements; related to the cosmetic industry and the beautification process

Etymology: Ancient Greek used one root for both the universe and personal ornament. "Kosmos" meant order and arrangement, and by extension adornment, and the universe was the ordered whole. The verb "kosmein" meant to arrange, put in order, or adorn, and from it came "kosmetikos," describing someone skilled at arranging or decorating things. The Greek sense was broader than makeup and covered any talent for tidying and embellishing. The idea passed into Latin as "cosmeticus," and reached English through Latin and French, gradually narrowing to the application of beauty aids to the face and body. English "cosmos" comes from the same Greek root, so the word for skin cream and the word for the universe are cousins, both built on the notion of putting things in order.

Synonyms: cosmetic