Costume vs. déguisement
In French, the words costume and déguisement both relate to clothing intended for acting or parties. However, they carry distinct meanings and contexts depending on their use.
Costume
A2Costume in French refers to the outfit or attire of a character in a play, film, or similar settings. It can also simply mean a man's suit in everyday usage. Importantly, it implies clothing related to a specific or formal purpose, not necessarily to disguise oneself.
Elle a acheté un costume pour son rôle dans le film.
(She bought a costume for her role in the movie.)
Il porte un costume élégant pour le dîner.
(He is wearing an elegant suit for the dinner.)
Les costumes des acteurs étaient magnifiques dans cette pièce de théâtre.
(The actors' costumes were magnificent in that play.)
Déguisement
A2Déguisement refers to an outfit used specifically to disguise or transform someone into something or someone else, mostly for entertainment purposes. It is commonly associated with parties, carnivals, or disguises and emphasizes the idea of transformation.
Il portait un déguisement de pirate pour la fête.
(He wore a pirate costume for the party.)
Les enfants adorent mettre des déguisements à Halloween.
(Children love wearing costumes at Halloween.)
Ce déguisement de fantôme est vraiment effrayant.
(This ghost costume is really scary.)
Summary
While both costume and déguisement refer to clothing, their meanings differ. Costume often relates to outfits for characters in plays or films, or formal attire like suits. In contrast, déguisement is associated with disguises or costumes for fun events, like parties or festivals. They are not interchangeable, so the context determines which word to use.