Kostüm

costume

noun kos-TUEM Rare

Origin: from French 'costume'

Also means

fancy-dress costume

Usage Note

Kostüm in theatrical contexts means a performance costume. The Kostümbild (costume design) and Kostümbildner (costume designer) are key creative roles. Outside theatre it also means a lady's suit or fancy-dress outfit.

Examples

"Das Kostüm der Hauptdarstellerin war historisch getreu und aufwändig bestickt."

Natural Translation

The lead actress's costume was historically accurate and elaborately embroidered.

Literal Translation

The costume of the lead actress was historically faithful and elaborately embroidered.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

German Separable Verbs: When the Prefix Splits

German separable verbs split in two: the verb stays near the front and the prefix flies to the end. Learn the stress test and where every piece goes.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

German Numbers 1–100: Why 21 Is Said Backwards

German numbers 1 to 100 reverse the digits: 21 is einundzwanzig (one-and-twenty). Learn the und rule, the irregulars, and how to hear prices fast.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

Weil vs Denn vs Da: "Because" in German

Weil and da send the verb to the end; denn keeps it in second position. Here's how to pick the right German "because" and place the verb correctly.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Compound Words: How to Read Any Long Word

Read any long German word by working right-to-left: the last noun sets the meaning and gender, and the small linking letters are just glue. Here's the drill.

June 9, 2026 6 min read