costume

noun cos·tume \ ˈkä-ˌstüm , -ˌstyüm also -stəm or ˈkäs-ˌchüm \

|Updated on: 14 Aug 2018

Examples: costume in a Sentence

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

—

costumey

adjective

See costume defined for English-language learners

See costume defined for kids

Examples of costume in a Sentence

children in their Halloween costumes
a formal 18th-century Japanese costume

Recent Examples of costume from the Web

Here, 33 ideas for looks the attendants can wear again and again—and not just as a Halloween costume.

— liana satenstein, Vogue, "The Best Chic, Nontraditional Bridesmaid Dresses for Summer," 13 July 2018
The latter ended with an acrobatics display in which the performers’ costumes fanned out to send the turquoise and yellow of the Kazakh flag rippling across the stage.

— The Economist, "The president of Kazakhstan throws himself a modest birthday bash," 12 July 2018
Disney doesn't allow guests over age 14 to wear costumes to the park, but the rulebook gets thrown out the window during the Halloween season.

— sienna fantozzi, House Beautiful, "How To Have The Most Spooktacular Halloween At Disney World," 11 July 2018
At one point a man showed up wearing a hot dog costume made of hundreds of small balloons.

— edward mckinley, kansascity, "KC Health Department puts the kibosh (kielbasa?) on sausage party outside Pence event," 11 July 2018
The Mount Washington restaurant will also give a gift certificate to the diner with the best French-themed costume.

— anna muckerman, baltimoresun.com, "Taste France in Baltimore with these Bastille Day specials and events," 9 July 2018
The most popular costume for dogs in 2017 was a pumpkin.

— lauren smith, Good Housekeeping, "18 Fascinating Things You Didn't Know About Halloween," 7 July 2018
Everyone has a go-to emoji, so pick your favorite one and make a costume out of it.

— elizabeth denton, Seventeen, "14 Genius Group Halloween Costume Ideas for You and Your Squad," 6 July 2018
Tammé finds power in bashing in her white co-workers every match, and Jenny fuels her passion into making costumes for the show.

— mike bloom, The Hollywood Reporter, "'GLOW' Stars Wrestle With Inclusion and Satire Through Stereotypes," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'costume.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of costume

French, from Italian, custom, dress, from Latin consuetudin-, consuetudo custom — more at custom

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1668

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

costume Synonyms

Synonyms

drag, dress, garb, getup, guise, outfit, togs;

fashion, mode, style;

array, caparison, vestments;

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

costume

verb cos·tume \ kä-ˈstüm , -ˈstyüm also käs-ˈchüm ; or ˈkä-ˌst(y)üm or ˈkäs-ˌchüm or -stəm \

Definition of costume

costumed; costuming

transitive verb

1 : to provide with a costume

2 : to design costumes for

costume a play

Examples of costume in a Sentence

the days when people, costumed in their Sunday best, would parade along the grand avenue on Easter

Recent Examples of costume from the Web

Marianne Pease traveled from Maryland as part of her ongoing effort to promote costuming as an art form.

— david garrick, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Costume makers converge on San Diego for convention of creativity," 14 May 2018
Critcheloe has always had a keen eye for costuming and set design.

— rachel hahn, Vogue, "Ssion on His New Album O and His Absurdist, Sequin-Filled Sense of Style," 2 July 2018
Omari Hardwick’s costuming recalls Shaft (1971) and Coffy (1973), a kind of literal pun on blaxploitation movie history and black exploitation in the workplace.

— josephine livingstone, The New Republic, "Sorry to Bother You Is a Brilliant Black Comedy About Race, Labor, and Magic," 29 June 2018
As played by an outstanding Colleen Madden, Billie flaunts her body, accentuated by a trademark hip check as well as her eye-catching and form-fitting wardrobe (spot-on period costuming by Fabio Toblini).

— mike fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "'Born Yesterday' heroine calls her own shots in American Players Theatre remake," 26 June 2018
No dance experience necessary, costuming encouraged.

— chronicle staff report, San Francisco Chronicle, "Gay Pride events," 14 June 2018
All these references serve to represent the fascination and costuming around death that inspired Michele more than the afterlife itself.

— sarah spellings, The Cut, "9 References to Death in Gucci’s Cruise Show," 31 May 2018
There’s instruction on the basics of working with Worbla, a material that pads out costuming.

— dewayne bevil, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Stars, cosplayers, more in the mix at MegaCon Orlando," 23 May 2018
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and Big Chief Juan Pardo -- 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Mardi Gras Indian music and costuming is fundamental to the whole Crescent City gestalt.

— doug maccash, NOLA.com, "The Bayou Boogaloo lineup, with picks to plan your daze," 16 May 2018

First Known Use of costume

1802

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

costume Synonyms

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

costume

adjective cos·tume \ ˈkä-ˌstüm , -ˌstyüm also -stəm or ˈkäs-ˌchüm \

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

Examples of costume in a Sentence

You're invited to a costume party!

Recent Examples of costume from the Web

Antonio Banderas puts the finishing touches on his portrait of Picasso in the season finale of this costume drama, which changes subjects (and stars) season to season.

— gabe cohn, New York Times, "What’s on TV Tuesday: James Corden in Britain and ‘Hannah Gadsby: Nanette’," 19 June 2018
Jessica Pushor, costume collections manager, displayed a pair of velvet rhinestone pumps (circa 1905) from the archives that were once worn by the second Mrs. Marshall Field, Delia.

— candace jordan, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago History Museum's Costume Council luncheon honors shoe designer Brian Atwood," 13 June 2018
Others involved with the production are Lisa Friedrichs (musical director), Clifford Harrison (lighting and sound design), Mariah Salvadori (assistant student director), Kiley Velasquez (stage manager) and Ryan Connolly (costume assistant).

— elizabeth marie himchak, Pomerado News, "'Mary Poppins' opens at Rancho Bernardo High next week," 18 Apr. 2018
Raymond will help with refining concepts, costume construction and the eventual roll out.

— patricia madej, Philly.com, "Philadelphia Union searching for mascot," 13 Apr. 2018
Rag & Bone’s version feels discreet, not costume-y.

— christine whitney, WSJ, "An Obsessive A-Z Guide to Spring’s Best Women’s Denim," 5 Apr. 2018
During their three weeks on site last summer, the dance makers also were expected to deliver their musical, scenic and costume requirements to the company.

— allan ulrich, San Francisco Chronicle, "S.F. Ballet whirls Unbound into historic dance festival," 4 Apr. 2018
Sunday’s annual Easter Parade on Fifth around St. Patrick’s Cathedral might not be a full-fledged parade as a much as a gathering of the fashion-minded and costume conscious.

— WSJ, "In an Easter Bonnet, With All Those Frills Upon It," 1 Apr. 2018
Mark Bridges, who won best costume design for Phantom Thread, ultimately made off with the shortest speech and was wheeled out on the jet ski at the end of the show with Helen Mirren.

— patrick ryan, USA TODAY, "7 things you should know happened at the Oscars," 5 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of costume

1800

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

COSTUME Defined for English Language Learners

costume

noun

Definition of costume for English Language Learners

: 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

costume

adjective

Definition of costume for English Language Learners

: involving people wearing costumes

COSTUME Defined for Kids

costume

noun cos·tume \ ˈkäs-ˌtüm , -ˌtyüm \

Definition of costume for Students

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

costume

verb

Definition of costume for Students

costumed; costuming

: to provide with a special or fancy outfit

Learn More about costume

See words that rhyme with costume Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for costume Spanish Central: Translation of costume Nglish: Translation of costume for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of costume for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about costume

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costume

Definition of costume

costumey

Examples of costume in a Sentence

Recent Examples of costume from the Web

Origin and Etymology of costume

costume Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Clothing Terms

costume

Definition of costume

Examples of costume in a Sentence

Recent Examples of costume from the Web

First Known Use of costume

costume Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Other Clothing Terms

costume

Definition of costume

Examples of costume in a Sentence

Recent Examples of costume from the Web

First Known Use of costume

Other Clothing Terms

Phrases Related to COSTUME

Related Phrases

COSTUME Defined for English Language Learners

costume

Definition of costume for English Language Learners

costume

Definition of costume for English Language Learners

COSTUME Defined for Kids

costume

Definition of costume for Students

costume

Definition of costume for Students

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