costuming

US: (kos′to̅o̅ ming, -tyo̅o̅-)

From the verb costume: (⇒ conjugate)

costuming is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

cos•tum•ing  (kos′to̅o̅ ming, -tyo̅o̅-), n. 

1. Clothing material for costumes.
2. Clothing costumes collectively.
3. Clothing the act of furnishing or designing costumes.

• costume + -ing¹ 1855–60

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

cos•tume /ˈkɑstum, -tyum/   n., v., -tumed, -tum•ing, adj. 
n. 

1. Clothing style of dress typical of a particular nation, group, or historical period:
   [countable] peasants in their native costumes.
   [uncountable] the costume of the Revolutionary War days.
2. Clothing clothing of period, place, etc., or for a particular occasion such as a party:
   [countable] The circus clown put on his costume.
3. Clothing [countable] a set of garments selected for wear at a single time;
   outfit;
   ensemble.

v. [~ + object]

4. to provide with a costume;
   dress.

adj. [before a noun]

5. Clothing of or characterized by the wearing of costumes:
   a costume party.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

cos•tume  (n. kos′to̅o̅m, -tyo̅o̅m;v. ko sto̅o̅m′, -styo̅o̅m′), n., v., -tumed, -tum•ing, adj. 
n. 

1. Clothing a style of dress, including accessories and hairdos, esp. that peculiar to a nation, region, group, or historical period.
2. Clothing dress or garb characteristic of another period, place, person, etc., as worn on the stage or at balls.
3. Clothing fashion of dress appropriate to a particular occasion or season:
   dancing costume; winter costume.
4. Clothing a set of garments, esp. women's garments, selected for wear at a single time;
   outfit;
   ensemble.

v.t. 

5. Clothing to dress;
   furnish with a costume;
   provide appropriate dress for:
   to costume a play.

adj. 

6. Clothing of or characterized by the wearing of costumes:
   a costume party.
7. Clothing meant for use with or appropriate to a specific costume:
   costume accessories.

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

Synonyms

• 1. See dress. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

costume / 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
2. 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

verb (transitive)

1. to furnish the costumes for (a show, film, etc)
2. to dress (someone) in a costume

Etymology: 18th Century: from French, from Italian: dress, habit, custom