# costume

/ˈkɑstum/ (US) · /kˈɒstjuːm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/costume
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. theatre or film

noun · CEFR B1

the clothes worn by an actor in a play or movie to look like a character.

For teachers: the specific attire worn by a performer to represent a character or historical period.

- The actors spent two hours in the dressing room putting on their Victorian costumes.
- The production was praised for its authentic period costumes, which were meticulously researched to reflect the social hierarchy of eighteenth-century France.

Usage: Often used as a collective noun in professional theatre contexts.

### 2. fancy dress or disguise

noun · CEFR B1

clothes you wear to a party to look like someone or something else, like a superhero or a ghost.

For teachers: an outfit worn to create an appearance of a different identity, typically for social events or holidays.

- He won first prize at the Halloween party for his clever robot costume.
- The children arrived at the carnival in elaborate costumes ranging from mythical creatures to modern pop-culture icons.

### 3. traditional or historical dress

noun · CEFR B2

the traditional clothes of a particular country or time in history.

For teachers: the distinctive style of dress characteristic of a particular nation, ethnicity, or historical era.

- The dancers wore traditional folk costumes during the national holiday parade.
- The museum's permanent collection includes several rare examples of regional costumes from the mountainous provinces of northern Italy.

### 4. swimming

noun · CEFR B1 · British English

a piece of clothing you wear for swimming.

For teachers: a garment designed for swimming; a shortened form of 'swimming costume'.

- Don't forget to pack your costume and a towel for the beach.
- She realized she had left her swimming costume in the locker room after the training session had already concluded.

Teaching tip: In American English, 'swimsuit' or 'bathing suit' is much more common than 'costume'.

### 5. to provide with clothes

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to provide an actor or a person with a specific set of clothes.

For teachers: to design or provide costumes for a performer or a production.

- The studio hired a famous designer to costume the entire cast of the new movie.
- The challenge for the creative team was to costume the ensemble in a way that felt modern yet respected the original source material.

Usage: Usually used in the context of professional film or theatrical production.

## Examples

- She wears a pirate costume for the party.
- The actors spent two hours in the dressing room putting on their elaborate Victorian costumes before the show.
- The film's production designer insisted on authentic fabrics for every costume to ensure the historical drama felt grounded in the reality of the eighteenth century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.