costume

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

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

   We won the prize for best costume.

2. 2
   noun

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

   They wore their national costume to the social event.

3. 3
   noun

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

   In spite of the heat, the child insisted on wearing a woollen costume.

4. 4
   noun

   A style of dress, including garments, accessories and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period or people.

   The apology came after a netizen claimed Soberano was supposedly doing a black face, but the latter said, in defense, it was just a “costume.”

5. 5
   noun

   An outfit or a disguise worn as fancy dress etc.

   We wore gorilla costumes to the party.

6. 6
   noun

   A set of clothes appropriate for a particular occasion or season.

   The bride wore a grey going-away costume.

7. 7
   noun

   A swimming costume.

   They call their bathing suits down there "costumes."

8. 8
   verb

   To dress or adorn with a costume or appropriate garb.

   Seated on the carpet, by the side of this basin, was seen Mr. Rochester, costumed in shawls, with a turban on his head. His dark eyes and swarthy skin and Paynim features suited the costume exactly. He looked the very model of an Eastern emir, an agent or a victim of the bowstring.

Etymology

Borrowed from French costume, from Italian costume, from Latin consuētūdō (“custom, habit”). Doublet of consuetude, custom, and kastom. Verb circa 1802, perhaps modelled on French costumer.