Mi"cro*cosm (?), n. [F. microcosme, L. microcosmus, fr. Gr. mikro`s small + ko`smos the world.] A little world; a miniature universe. Hence (so called by Paracelsus), a man, as a supposed epitome of the exterior universe or great world. Opposed to macrocosm. Shak.

• a smaller system which is representative of or analogous to a larger one
        Though our town is small and provincial, it is a true microcosm to the country as a whole.
  
• (archaic) a small, complete world