costumes

word · lemma: costume

/ˈkɑstumz/
KAH-stoomz
/kˈɒstjuːmz/
KO-styoomz

Definition

Costumes are clothes people wear to look like a different person, character, animal, or thing, especially for parties, theater, or festivals. The word can also mean special clothing worn in a performance or from a particular historical period.

Usage & Nuances

Most often used for Halloween, theater, and themed events. 'Costume' usually suggests dressing up as someone or something, while 'clothes' is the general everyday word. Common collocations: 'wear a costume', 'Halloween costume', 'costume party', 'costume designer'. Be careful not to confuse it with 'customs' (border control or social traditions).

Example Sentences

The children wore costumes to the school play.

basic

We need costumes for the Halloween party.

basic

Her homemade costumes are always better than the ones in stores.

natural

The movie has beautiful costumes from the 1800s.

basic

The theater keeps hundreds of costumes in storage.

natural

By the end of the night, everyone’s costumes were falling apart.

natural