Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan, as an adjective and noun, designates a perspective, place, or identity that encompasses or is open to many parts of the world. In everyday use, a cosmopolitan person or city is comfortable with diverse cultures, languages, and ideas rather than being tied to a single nation or locality. The term derives from the Greek kosmopolites, literally 'world citizen'.

In philosophy, cosmopolitanism is the view that all human beings belong to a single moral community and possess universal rights and obligations beyond national loyalties. Its roots are ancient in Cynic and Stoic traditions (Diogenes of Sinope is sometimes cited) and were developed in modern thought by Immanuel Kant and subsequently by Martha Nussbaum, Kwame Anthony Appiah, and others who argue for global justice and shared political duties.

In sociology and urban studies, cosmopolitan cities are centers of global exchange where residents and visitors meet many cultures. Such places are characterized by linguistic diversity, international business, multicultural neighborhoods, and cosmopolitan leisure. Critics sometimes contend that cosmopolitanism can overlook local identities or become associated with elite privilege.

In biology the term cosmopolitan describes species with a worldwide distribution, capable of living in many regions and environments. Common examples include the house sparrow and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, contrasting with species that are endemic or regionally restricted.

Cosmopolitan also appears in popular culture and media, notably the Cosmopolitan magazine, a long-running American publication aimed at a broad audience of women, and the cocktail called the Cosmopolitan, a vodka-based drink popularized in the late 20th century.