Meaning & use
costumer
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Meanings
nouncountableAmerican
A person whose job is to make, design, fit or look after costumes, especially for a stage, film or television production.
Grammar: Countable and common in American English: the costumer fitted the actors.
Patterns
- the costumer for something
- a costumer on a production
The costumer stitched sequins onto the dancer's dress.
A costumer on the film set repaired the torn jacket.
She works as a costumer for the local theater company.
nouncountableold-fashioned
A business that rents or sells costumes to the public.
Grammar: Countable and a little old-fashioned: the costumer on Main Street.
Patterns
- rent something from a costumer
We rented the pirate outfits from a costumer downtown.
The costumer closes at six on weekdays.
Local costumers get very busy in October.
Word forms
| plural | costumers |
|---|
Common combinations
- theater costumer
- The theater costumer altered every dress for the cast.
- film costumer
- A film costumer keeps track of each actor's outfits during shooting.
- hire a costumer
- The school hired a costumer for the spring play.
- professional costumer
- A professional costumer knows how to build clothes that survive stage fights.
- costumer's workshop
- Rows of fabric hung in the costumer's workshop.
Synonyms and how they differ
- costume designer
- A costume designer creates the overall look and ideas, while a costumer often builds, fits and maintains the clothes.
- wardrobe assistant
- A wardrobe assistant helps care for clothes on set, while costumer can describe a wider craft role.
- seamstress
- A seamstress sews clothes in general, whereas a costumer works on theatrical or character clothing.
- dresser
- A dresser helps performers put on their costumes during a show, whereas a costumer makes or manages them.
Word family
Commonly confused: costumer or customer?
costumer vs customer
A customer is someone who buys goods or services; a costumer works with costumes, though a costumer's shop may have customers.
Practice
The play's ____ spent the weekend sewing new capes for the chorus.
Choose one answer.
A costumer makes or looks after costumes. A customer buys things, a choreographer plans dance, and a composer writes music.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “costumer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.