COSMETIC

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cosmetic mean? 

• COSMETIC (noun)
  The noun COSMETIC has 1 sense:

1. a toiletry designed to beautify the body

  Familiarity information: COSMETIC used as a noun is very rare.

• COSMETIC (adjective)
  The adjective COSMETIC has 2 senses:

1. serving an esthetic rather than a useful purpose

2. serving an aesthetic purpose in beautifying the body

  Familiarity information: COSMETIC used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COSMETIC (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A toiletry designed to beautify the body

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("cosmetic" is a kind of...):

toilet articles; toiletry (artifacts used in making your toilet (washing and taking care of your body))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cosmetic"):

depilator; depilatory; epilator (a cosmetic for temporary removal of undesired hair)

highlighter (a cosmetic used to highlight the eyes or cheekbones)

make-up; makeup; war paint (cosmetics applied to the face to improve or change your appearance)

nail enamel; nail polish; nail varnish (a cosmetic lacquer that dries quickly and that is applied to the nails to color them or make them shiny)

pencil (a cosmetic in a long thin stick; designed to be applied to a particular part of the face)

• COSMETIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Serving an esthetic rather than a useful purpose

Synonyms:

cosmetic; decorative; ornamental

Context example:

the buildings were utilitarian rather than decorative

Similar:

nonfunctional (not having or performing a function)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Serving an aesthetic purpose in beautifying the body

Synonyms:

cosmetic; enhancive

Context example:

enhansive makeup

Similar:

aesthetic; aesthetical; esthetic; esthetical (concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste)

 Context examples 

Cosmetics are products you apply to your body to clean it, make it more attractive, or change the way it looks.

(Cosmetics, Food and Drug Administration)

The period of time during which the cosmetic is considered usable after it is activated (opened).

(Cosmetic Stability Duration, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

A category specifying that a product is marketed as a cosmetic under the statutory definition found in FD&C Act Section 201(i) SEC. 201. [21 U.S.C. 321].

(Cosmetic Marketing Category, NCI Thesaurus)

Surgery may also include cosmetic surgery.

(Plastic surgeon, NCI Thesaurus)

Surgeons can reshape the appearance of body parts through cosmetic surgery.

(Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, NIH)

Grapefruit seed oil is used as a food supplement and in cosmetics.

(Grapefruit Seed Oil, NCI Thesaurus)

Used mainly in cooking today, olive oil has been used for medicines and in cosmetics.

(Olive Oil, NCI Thesaurus)

Grape seed oil is used in cooking and cosmetics and for medicinal purposes.

(Grape Seed Oil, NCI Thesaurus)

It assures the safety of foods and cosmetics, and the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals, biological products, radiation emitting products, medical devices, and also, animal feed and drugs.

(Food and Drug Administration, NCI Thesaurus)

An agency in the U.S. federal government whose mission is to protect public health by making sure that food, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements are safe to use and truthfully labeled.

(FDA, NCI Dictionary)