Cosplay vs. Costume — What's the Difference?

Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, and a broader use of the term "cosplay" applies to any costumed role-playing in venues apart from the stage.

Costume is the distinctive style of dress or cosmetic of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, profession, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch. In short costume is a cultural visual of the people.

The practice of dressing up as a character from a film, book, or video game, especially one from the Japanese genres of manga or anime.

A style of dress, including garments, accessories, and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period, or people.

Engage in cosplay.

An outfit or a disguise worn on Mardi Gras, Halloween, or similar occasions.

The act or practice of dressing in costume, often homemade, to resemble or portray a fictional character, especially from science fiction, fantasy, manga, or anime.

A set of clothes appropriate for a particular occasion or season.

To engage in cosplay.

To put a costume on; dress.

To portray (a character) through cosplay

To design or furnish costumes for.

(uncountable) The art or practice of costuming oneself as a (usually fictional) character.

A style of dress, including garments, accessories and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period or people.

(countable) A skit or instance of this art or practice.

An outfit or a disguise worn as fancy dress etc.

(intransitive) To costume oneself as a character.

A set of clothes appropriate for a particular occasion or season.

(transitive) To costume oneself as (a character).

To dress or adorn with a costume or appropriate garb.

To adopt the behavior and mannerisms of another.

Dress in general; esp., the distinctive style of dress of a people, class, or period.

Such an arrangement of accessories, as in a picture, statue, poem, or play, as is appropriate to the time, place, or other circumstances represented or described.

A character dress, used at fancy balls or for dramatic purposes.

The attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball;

Unusual or period attire not characteristic of or appropriate to the time and place;

The prevalent fashion of dress (including accessories and hair style as well as garments)

The attire characteristic of a country or a time or a social class;

Dress in a costume;

Furnish with costumes; as for a film or play