Library / English Dictionary

COSTUME

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball

Example:

he won the prize for best costume

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("costume" is a kind of...):

attire; dress; garb (clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion)

Meronyms (parts of "costume"):

wardrobe (collection of costumes belonging to a theatrical company)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "costume"):

fancy dress; masquerade; masquerade costume (a costume worn as a disguise at a masquerade party)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The attire characteristic of a country or a time or a social class

Example:

he wore his national costume

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("costume" is a kind of...):

attire; dress; garb (clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "costume"):

academic costume (a costume worn on formal occasions by the faculty or students of a university or college)

rigout (a person's costume (especially if bizarre))

Derivation:

costume (dress in a costume)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Unusual or period attire not characteristic of or appropriate to the time and place

Example:

in spite of the heat he insisted on his woolen costume

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("costume" is a kind of...):

attire; dress; garb (clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The prevalent fashion of dress (including accessories and hair style as well as garments)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("costume" is a kind of...):

attire; dress; garb (clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Dress in a costume

Example:

We dressed up for Halloween as pumpkins

Synonyms:

costume; dress up

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "costume" is one way to...):

apparel; clothe; dress; enclothe; fit out; garb; garment; habilitate; raiment; tog (provide with clothes or put clothes on)

Verb group:

attire; deck out; deck up; dress up; fancy up; fig out; fig up; get up; gussy up; overdress; prink; rig out; tog out; tog up; trick out; trick up (put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

costume (the attire characteristic of a country or a time or a social class)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Furnish with costumes; as for a film or play

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "costume" is one way to...):

furnish; provide; render; supply (give something useful or necessary to)

Domain category:

performing arts (arts or skills that require public performance)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

costumer (someone who designs or supplies costumes (as for a play or masquerade))

Credits

 Context examples: 

First they came to a great hall in which were many ladies and gentlemen of the court, all dressed in rich costumes.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Her experience and miscellaneous reading were of service now, for they gave her some idea of dramatic effect, and supplied plot, language, and costumes.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Seated on the carpet, by the side of this basin, was seen Mr. Rochester, costumed in shawls, with a turban on his head.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

You wore a costume of dove-coloured silk with ostrich-feather trimming.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This full moon of February 8-9 is in Leo, a sign that rules the arts and entertainment, including actors and musicians, artists, costume and set designers, poets, photographers, filmmakers, screenwriters—even lawyers who specialize in intellectual property for the entertainment industry.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The famous Master of the Ring was clad in honour of the occasion in a most resplendent scarlet coat worked in gold at the buttonholes, a white stock, a looped hat with a broad black band, buff knee-breeches, white silk stockings, and paste buckles—a costume which did justice to his magnificent figure, and especially to those famous balustrade calves which had helped him to be the finest runner and jumper as well as the most formidable pugilist in England.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His costume was a peculiar mixture of the professional and of the agricultural, having a black top-hat, a long frock-coat, and a pair of high gaiters, with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Many nations are represented, many languages spoken, many costumes worn, and on a sunny day the spectacle is as gay and brilliant as a carnival.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

A sufficient interval having elapsed for the performers to resume their ordinary costume, they re-entered the dining-room.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Neptune is currently in your communication sector, so if you have been working on a creative project that involves writing an imaginative novel or screenplay, composing music, or directing your talents to costume design, dance, painting, theatrical lighting, or any of the creative arts, you will find your ideas start to tumble forth like diamonds falling from the tip top of your head, straight onto the papers you are working on.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)