Cosmopolitan
- Pronunciation
- /kos-mo-pol-i-tan/
- Category
- Taxonomy
- Singular
- Cosmopolitan
- Plural
- Cosmopolitans
Definition
A cosmopolitan species is a species that has a wide geographic distribution, often across multiple continents.
Etymology
From Greek 'kosmos', meaning 'world', and 'politeia', meaning 'citizenship'.
Example
The cosmopolitan species of the housefly, *Musca domestica*, is found across the globe.
Related Terms
- Global distribution
- Wide range