First Known Use: 1799
Dictionary
1costume
noun cos·tume \ˈkäs-ˌtüm, -ˌtyüm also -təm or -ˌchüm\
: the clothes that are worn by someone (such as an actor) who is trying to look like a different person or thing
: the clothes worn by a group of people especially during a particular time in the past
Full Definition of COSTUME
1
: the prevailing fashion in coiffure, jewelry, and apparel of a period, country, or class
2
: an outfit worn to create the appearance characteristic of a particular period, person, place, or thing <Halloween costumes>
3
: a person's ensemble of outer garments; especially : a woman's ensemble of dress with coat or jacket
— cos·tum·ey adjective
See costume defined for English-language learners
See costume defined for kids
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Origin of COSTUME
French, from Italian, custom, dress, from Latin consuetudin-, consuetudo custom — more at custom
Other Clothing Terms
Rhymes with COSTUME
abloom, assume, backroom, ballroom, barroom, bathroom, bedroom, boardroom, bridegroom, broadloom, chat room, checkroom, classroom, clean room, cloakroom, coatroom, consume, courtroom, darkroom, dayroom, entomb, enwomb, exhume, foredoom, front room, great room, greenroom, guardroom, gun room, headroom, heirloom, homeroom, houseroom, illume, inhume, jibboom, Khartoum, legroom, legume, lunchroom, men's room, mudroom, mushroom, newsroom, perfume, playroom, poolroom, pressroom, presume, push broom, relume, restroom, resume, salesroom, schoolroom, Scotch broom, sea room, showroom, sickroom, simoom, squad room, stateroom, stockroom, storeroom, strong room, subsume, sunroom, taproom, Targum, tearoom, throne room, toolroom, wardroom, washroom, weight room, whisk broom, white room, workroom
2costume
verb cos·tume \käs-ˈtüm, -ˈtyüm also -ˈchüm; or ˈkäs-ˌ or -təm\
cos·tumedcos·tum·ing
Definition of COSTUME
transitive verb
1
: to provide with a costume
2
: to design costumes for <costume a play>
First Known Use of COSTUME
1823
Related to COSTUME
Other Clothing Terms
3costume
adjective \same as 1\
: involving people wearing costumes
Full Definition of COSTUME
1
: characterized by the use of costumes <a costume ball> <a costume drama>
2
: suitable for or enhancing the effect of a particular costume <a costume handbag>
See costume defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of COSTUME
1847
Other Clothing Terms
COSTUMEY Defined for Kids
1costume
noun cos·tume \ˈkäs-ˌtüm, -ˌtyüm\
Definition of COSTUME for Kids
1
: special or fancy dress (as for wear on the stage or at a masquerade)
2
: style of clothing, ornaments, and hair used during a certain period, in a certain region, or by a certain class or group <ancient Roman costume> <peasant costume>
2costume
verb
cos·tumedcos·tum·ing
Definition of COSTUME for Kids
: to provide with a special or fancy outfit
Learn More About COSTUME
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