costume
gb/kˈɔstum/ us/kˈɔstum/
A2
English
~ 5900
jelmez, viselet, kosztüm, fürdőruha, jelmezbe öltöztet, beöltöztet
NOUN
A2
1
jelmez
B1
Usage pattern:
a costume for [event/character]
She spent weeks making her mermaid costume for the convention.
Hetekig készítette a sellőjelmezét a találkozóra.
All the children wore animal costumes for the school play.
Az iskolai színdarabban minden gyerek állatjelmezt viselt.
His Spider-Man costume looked so real that people stopped to take photos.
The actor tried on three different costumes before the director was happy.
You’re supposed to come in costume, not in regular jeans and a T-shirt.
Learner examples
I bought a vampire costume for Halloween.
Halloweenre vámpírjelmezt vettem.
The kids are wearing costumes in the school show.
A gyerekek jelmezt viselnek az iskolai előadásban.
Her costume makes her look like a princess.
He put on a robot costume for the party.
They rented their costumes from a shop in town.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "costume" with "custom" because they look similar. "Costume" is about clothes; "custom" is about habits or traditions.
Meaning
clothes for dressing up
Collocations
Halloween costume
|stage costume
|party costume
|superhero costume
|costume designer
|costume department
Synonyms
outfit (A general word for a set of clothes; it is not limited to dressing up as a character.)
|
disguise (Focuses on hiding who you are, not just dressing up for fun or art.)
|
fancy dress (Mainly British; usually refers to a costume for a party, especially humorous or playful ones.)
Antonyms
everyday clothes (Regular clothes that you wear normally, not special clothes to look like a character.)
|
plain clothes (Clothes without special style or decoration, opposite of the special and noticeable nature of a costume.)
Themes
entertainment
|daily life
|holidays
|clothing
|arts_entertainment
|daily_life
Definition
Special clothes that you wear to look like a different person, animal, or thing, for a party or show.
A set of clothes and accessories worn to look like a particular character, animal, or thing, especially for a party, performance, or event.
NOUN
B1
2
viselet
B2
Usage pattern:
[country/period] costume
Dancers in traditional costume welcomed visitors at the airport.
Hagyományos viseletbe öltözött táncosok fogadták a látogatókat a repülőtéren.
The museum has an exhibition of 18th‑century French costume.
A múzeumban a 18. századi francia viseletet bemutató kiállítás látható.
She wore her country’s national costume for the opening ceremony.
The film is praised for its accurate Roman costume and sets.
Students studied changes in Japanese costume from the Edo period to today.
Learner examples
The women are wearing traditional costume in the festival.
A nők hagyományos viseletben vannak a fesztiválon.
This book shows the national costumes of many countries.
Ez a könyv sok ország nemzeti viseletét mutatja be.
He bought a picture of people in old Russian costume.
In the museum we saw costumes from 200 years ago.
They performed a folk dance in regional costume.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "costume" in this sense is only for parties or theater. In phrases like "traditional costume" or "national costume", it refers to real clothing styles connected to culture or history, not dressing up for fun.
Meaning
traditional or historical clothing style
Collocations
traditional costume
|national costume
|folk costume
|period costume
|regional costume
|ceremonial costume
Synonyms
traditional dress (Very close in meaning; slightly more formal and often used in cultural or academic contexts.)
|
folk dress (Emphasizes clothing connected with the traditional culture of ordinary people.)
Antonyms
modern clothing (Everyday contemporary clothing, not linked to a historic or traditional style.)
|
Western dress (Often used as a contrast when talking about traditional or national dress in non‑Western cultures.)
Themes
culture
|history
|travel
|clothing
|arts_entertainment
|education
Definition
The usual traditional clothes of a country, group, or time in history.
The typical style of clothing worn by people from a particular country, culture, or historical period, often shown in festivals, museums, or performances.
NOUN
B2
3
jelmez
B1
Usage pattern:
the costume for [production/character]
She won an award for her costume design on the historical drama.
Díjat nyert a történelmi dráma jelmeztervezéséért.
The costume department is still finishing the lead actress’s dresses.
A jelmezrészleg még mindig a főszereplőnő ruháit fejezi be.
There will be a full costume fitting tomorrow for the entire cast.
The director wanted a simple, modern costume for Hamlet.
Because of budget cuts, they had to reuse costumes from last season.
Learner examples
The costume for this play is very colorful.
Ennek a darabnak a jelmezei nagyon színesek.
He works in the costume department of a big theater.
Egy nagy színház jelmezrészlegén dolgozik.
They had a costume fitting before the show opened.
The film’s costumes make the story feel real.
Our school play does not have many costumes.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this sense is only one outfit. In professional contexts, "costume" and especially "costume design" usually refer to the whole system of clothing in a production, not just a single suit or dress.
Meaning
theatrical clothing for a production
Collocations
costume design
|costume department
|costume budget
|costume fittings
|costume rack
|costume changes
Synonyms
wardrobe (In theater and film, refers to all the clothes available for actors, including storage and management, not just the designed looks.)
|
costuming (Focuses on the process or art of designing and making costumes, rather than the garments themselves.)
Antonyms
street clothes (Ordinary clothes that actors wear offstage, not the designed clothing used in the performance.)
Themes
entertainment
|art
|arts_entertainment
|clothing
Definition
All the special clothes that actors wear in a play or film, designed to show the story, time, and characters.
The clothing used for characters in a play, film, or other performance, viewed as a designed part of the production.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
4
kosztüm
B2
Usage pattern:
a [material/color] costume
She arrived in a pale blue tweed costume and matching hat.
Halványkék tweedkosztümben és hozzá illő kalapban érkezett.
The catalogue features a range of business costumes for professional women.
A katalógus üzleti kosztümök széles választékát mutatja be dolgozó nők számára.
Her wedding costume consisted of a silk dress and a short fitted jacket.
In the 1950s, a neat costume was considered essential daywear for many women.
The designer’s latest collection includes six sharply tailored costumes.
Learner examples
She wore a smart grey costume to the interview.
Elegáns szürke kosztümöt viselt az állásinterjún.
The shop sells costumes for office wear.
Az üzlet irodai viselethez való kosztümöket árul.
Her new costume has a short jacket and a skirt.
This magazine shows many costumes for business women.
The blue costume looks very formal.
Common mistake:
Learners may generalize this sense and call any clothes a "costume". In modern everyday English, this use is mostly limited to fashion writing or very formal style; in normal speech people usually say "suit" or "outfit" instead.
Meaning
woman’s coordinated outfit
Collocations
two‑piece costume
|elegant costume
|tailored costume
|tweed costume
|navy costume
|business costume
Synonyms
suit (More common today; refers to a matching jacket and skirt or trousers, not always specifically women’s.)
|
ensemble (A formal fashion term for a complete outfit that matches in style and color.)
Antonyms
separates (Individual clothing pieces that are mixed and matched, not a coordinated set sold or designed as one outfit.)
Themes
fashion
|work
|clothing
|daily_life
Definition
A smart set of clothes for a woman, for example a suit or a dress and jacket that go together.
A woman’s coordinated outfit, especially a tailored suit or a dress with a matching jacket, used mainly in fashion or formal style descriptions.
NOUN
B1
5
fürdőruha
A2
Usage pattern:
a [bathing/swimming] costume
She realized she had forgotten her swimming costume at home.
Rájött, hogy otthon felejtette a fürdőruháját.
Children must wear a proper bathing costume in the pool.
A gyerekeknek megfelelő fürdőruhát kell viselniük a medencében.
He sat on the beach in his costume, reading a book.
My old costume is too small, so I need to buy a new one.
Please rinse your costume in cold water after using the pool.
Learner examples
I put on my swimming costume and went to the pool.
Felvettem a fürdőruhámat, és elmentem az uszodába.
Her bathing costume is red and white.
A fürdőruhája piros-fehér.
He changed out of his costume after swimming.
She bought a new costume for her holiday at the beach.
Don’t forget your costume when we go to the lake.
Common mistake:
Learners might use "costume" alone to mean swimsuit in American English, where this sounds unusual or old‑fashioned. In American English, "swimsuit" or "bathing suit" is preferred.
Meaning
swimming outfit (mainly BrE)
Collocations
bathing costume
|swimming costume
|one‑piece costume
|striped costume
|try on a costume
|change out of your costume
Synonyms
swimsuit (The most common general word in modern English; used in both American and British English.)
|
swimming costume (Standard British phrase; clearer and more specific than "costume" alone.)
Antonyms
street clothes (Normal clothes you wear when not swimming, which you change into after taking off your costume.)
Themes
sports
|travel
|leisure
|clothing
|daily_life
Definition
Clothes you wear to swim, usually called a bathing costume or swimming costume in British English.
A piece of clothing worn for swimming, especially in British English, often in the phrases "bathing costume" or "swimming costume".
VERB
C1
6
beöltöztet
B1
Usage pattern:
to costume [someone] as [character]
The designer will costume the entire cast of the musical.
A tervező öltözteti majd jelmezbe a musical teljes szereplőgárdáját.
They decided to costume the extras in simple, neutral colors.
Úgy döntöttek, hogy a statisztákat egyszerű, semleges színű jelmezekbe öltöztetik.
The children were costumed as animals for the parade.
The film is beautifully costumed and carefully researched.
Volunteers helped costume more than a hundred performers.
Learner examples
The teacher costumed the students as kings and queens.
A tanár királyoknak és királynőknek öltöztette be a diákokat.
A designer will costume the actors for the show.
Egy tervező öltözteti majd jelmezbe a színészeket az előadásra.
They costumed the dancers in red and gold.
Many people helped to costume the children for the play.
The singers are costumed to look like famous stars.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use "costume" as a verb in everyday situations (e.g. "I costumed myself for work"), which sounds strange. The verb is mainly used in theater, film, or organized events, not for normal daily dressing.
Meaning
dress or supply with costumes
Collocations
costume the cast
|costume actors
|well‑costumed production
|beautifully costumed
|costumed performers
|expertly costumed
Synonyms
dress (A very general verb for putting clothes on someone; it does not always mean special or character‑based clothing.)
|
outfit (Means to supply with equipment or clothing; slightly more formal and general than "costume".)
Antonyms
undress (Means to remove clothes, the opposite of dressing or costuming someone.)
Themes
entertainment
|art
|arts_entertainment
|clothing
Definition
To give clothes to someone so they can look like a character, or to dress them in these special clothes.
To provide someone with costumes, or to dress a person or group in specific costumes, especially for a play, film, or event.
Grammar
Dictionary form
costume
IPA
GB/kˈɔstum/
US/kˈɔstum/
Syllables & stress
cos - tume (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cos)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: costume
- Plural: costume, costumes
Verb
- Base: costume
- 3rd Person Singular: costumes
- Present Participle: costuming
- Past: costumed
Word family
Forms
costumes
noun
costuming
verb
costumed
verb
Related words
costumer
noun
Advanced or less common
costumier
noun
Expressions
bathing costume
1/bˈeɪðɪŋ kˈɔstum/
fixed phrase
swimsuit (mainly BrE)
A piece of clothing you wear for swimming, especially in British English.
Examples
- Don’t forget your bathing costume when we go to the seaside.
- She hung her wet bathing costume on the balcony to dry.
- Children must wear a proper bathing costume in the hotel pool.
costume designer
1/kˈɔstum dɪzˈaɪnɚ/
fixed phrase
person who designs costumes
A person who plans and creates the clothes that actors wear in a play, film, or TV show.
Examples
- The costume designer researched Victorian fashion for the movie.
- As a child, he dreamed of becoming a costume designer on Broadway.
- The director and costume designer worked closely to develop each character’s look.
costume drama
1/kˈɔstum dɹˈɑmə/
fixed phrase
period film or TV show
A film, TV show, or play that takes place in the past and has many detailed old‑style costumes.
Examples
- She loves watching British costume dramas set in the 19th century.
- The series is a lavish costume drama about a royal family.
- The channel is showing a new costume drama on Sunday nights.
costume party
1/kˈɔstum pˈɑɹti/
fixed phrase
party where guests wear costumes
A party where people come dressed in costumes, often as characters or funny things.
Examples
- We’re having a costume party on Friday, so come dressed as your favorite movie character.
- She met her best friend at a Halloween costume party.
- The invitation said it was a costume party, but half the guests arrived in normal clothes.
in costume
1/ˈɪn kˈɔstum/
fixed phrase
wearing a costume
Wearing special clothes to look like a character or for a show or event.
Examples
- All the actors must be in costume an hour before the performance.
- The children were already in costume when the parents arrived.
- It’s strange to see my teacher in costume as a pirate.
costume jewelry
1/kˈɔstum d͡ʒˈulɹi/
fixed phrase
imitation decorative jewelry
Jewelry that looks pretty but is made from cheap materials, not real gold, silver, or valuable stones.
Examples
- She prefers costume jewelry because it's affordable and stylish.
- She wore costume jewelry with her dress instead of real diamonds.
- Costume jewelry can be a fun way to change your look without spending much money.
- This shop sells vintage costume jewelry from the 1960s.
- I prefer costume jewelry because it’s affordable and fun to change.