costume

American  

[kos-toom, -tyoom, ko-stoom, -styoom] / ˈkɒs tum, -tyum, kɒˈstum, -ˈstyum /

noun

1. a style of dress, including accessories and hairdos, especially that peculiar to a nation, region, group, or historical period.

2. dress or garb characteristic of another period, place, person, etc., as worn on the stage or at balls.

3. fashion of dress appropriate to a particular occasion or season.

   dancing costume; winter costume.

4. a set of garments, especially women's garments, selected for wear at a single time; outfit; ensemble.

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verb (used with object)

costumes, present (3rd person singular) costumed, past participle, past costuming present participle

1. to dress; furnish with a costume; provide appropriate dress for.

   to costume a play.

adjective

1. of or characterized by the wearing of costumes.

   a costume party.

2. meant for use with or appropriate to a specific costume.

   costume accessories.

costume British  

/ ˈkɒstjuːm /

noun

1. a complete style of dressing, including all the clothes, accessories, etc, worn at one time, as in a particular country or period; dress

   national costume

2. old-fashioned a woman's suit

3. a set of clothes, esp unusual or period clothes, worn in a play by an actor or at a fancy dress ball

   a jester's costume

4. short for swimming costume

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verb

1. to furnish the costumes for (a show, film, etc)

2. to dress (someone) in a costume

Synonym Usage

See dress.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• uncostumed
  adjective
• well-costumed
  adjective
• recostume
  verb (used with object)

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has costumed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have costumed
  perfect
• has been costuming
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are costuming
  progressive
• have been costuming
  perfect progressive
• am costuming
  progressive 1st person singular
• is costuming
  progressive 3rd person singular
• costuming
  participle
• costumes
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had costumed
  perfect
• costumed
  participle
• had been costuming
  perfect progressive
• was costuming
  progressive singular
• were costuming
  progressive plural
• costumed
  simple

Future

• will costume
  simple
• will have costumed
  perfect
• will have been costuming
  perfect progressive
• will be costuming
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of costume

1705–15; < French < Italian: usage, habit, dress; doublet of custom

Explanation

A costume is a set of clothes you wear when you want to dress up like another person. You might wear a witch's costume to go trick-or-treating on Halloween, or put on a George Washington costume to reenact a scene from the American Revolution in a play. A costume is a set of clothes that is unique to a particular person or time period. If you were starring as Dorothy in your neighborhood production of The Wizard of Oz, your costume would consist of a blue-and-white checkered dress and ruby slippers. On the other hand, if you were starring as Lady Godiva, you wouldn't need much of a costume at all!

Example Sentences

Porter, who spoke to Newsbeat as she waited, in costume, outside a screening of The Last Act, says she's been "super-hyped" for the cinema release.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

Still, at least my costume was cutting the right figure.

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

“And as his girlfriend, she’s always been supportive of him. So even in costume, it was like she was literally holding space for his story. It felt authentic, not just comedic.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

Hong Kong resident Lisa Lau put on a costume drama as she settled on the bed that occupies much of her tiny apartment, trying to take her mind off of a looming eviction.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

Now she was venturing upstairs to the fabric department to haggle over bolts of cloth for another costume.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Related Words

• apparel
• attire
• dress
• ensemble
• fashion
• garb
• getup
• style
• suit
• uniform
• wardrobe