Cosmetic
early 17th century (as a noun denoting the art of beautifying the body): from French cosmétique, from Greek kosmētikos, from kosmein ‘arrange or adorn’, from kosmos ‘order or adornment’.
wiktionary
From French cosmétique, from Ancient Greek κοσμητική(kosmētikḗ, “the art of dress and ornament”), κοσμητικός(kosmētikós), from κοσμητής(kosmētḗs, “orderer, director, decorator”), from κοσμέω(kosméō, “to order, to arrange, to rule, to adorn, to equip, to dress, to embellish”).
etymonline
cosmetic (n.)
c. 1600, "the art of beautifying, art of anointing or decorating the human body," from Latinized form of Greek kosmetike (tekhnē) "the art of dress and ornament," from fem. of kosmetikos "skilled in adornment or arrangement," from kosmein "to arrange, adorn," from kosmos "order; ornament" (see cosmos). The adjective is feminine because tekhne is a feminine noun.
Meaning "a preparation for beautifying, preparation that renders the n soft and pure or improves the complexion" (originally also the hair) is attested from 1640s. Related: Cosmetics.
cosmetic (adj.)
1640s, "pertaining to beauty, improving beauty," from French cosmétique (16c.), from Latinized form of Greek kosmetikos "skilled in adornment or arrangement," from kosmein "to arrange, adorn," from kosmos "order; ornament" (see cosmos). Related: Cosmetical (1550s). Of surgery, from 1926. Figurative sense of "superficial, affecting the appearance only" is from 1955. Related: Cosmetically.
