costume jewelry: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral. Used in both everyday and commercial/fashion contexts.
Quick answer
What does “costume jewelry” mean?
inexpensive jewellery made from non-precious metals, imitation gemstones, and other base materials, often designed to complement a specific outfit or fashion trend.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
inexpensive jewellery made from non-precious metals, imitation gemstones, and other base materials, often designed to complement a specific outfit or fashion trend.
jewellery produced for decorative rather than investment purposes, historically associated with theatrical costumes but now a mainstream fashion category distinct from fine jewellery.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: British English uses 'costume jewellery', American English uses 'costume jewelry'. Conceptually identical.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. Carries the same fashion/decoration vs. investment/value distinction.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in fashion retail and magazine contexts. Equally common in both varieties for the concept.
Grammar
How to Use “costume jewelry” in a Sentence
wear + costume jewellerymade of + costume jewelleryadorned with + costume jewellerya collection of + costume jewelleryVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “costume jewelry” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She prefers to costume jewellery with vintage pieces.
- The designer specialises in costuming jewellery for period dramas.
American English
- She prefers to costume jewelry with vintage pieces.
- The designer specializes in costuming jewelry for period dramas.
adjective
British English
- She owns a lovely costume-jewellery brooch.
- The costume-jewellery market is booming.
American English
- She owns a lovely costume-jewelry brooch.
- The costume-jewelry market is booming.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in retail, fashion design, and marketing to categorize a product line.
Academic
Used in fashion history, material culture studies, and theatre studies.
Everyday
Common when discussing fashion accessories, shopping, or describing an item.
Technical
Used in gemology and jewellery making to distinguish materials and techniques.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “costume jewelry”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “costume jewelry”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “costume jewelry”
- Misspelling as 'custom jewellery' (which means made-to-order).
- Confusing it with 'fine jewellery' or assuming it always means low quality.
- Pronouncing 'costume' as if related to 'cost' (/kɒst/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Fake jewellery' implies deceit (e.g., fake gold meant to look real). 'Costume jewellery' is an honest category of decorative fashion accessories not pretending to be fine jewellery, though it may imitate styles.
Yes. Certain vintage, designer, or artist-made costume jewellery pieces can be highly collectable and valuable to collectors, despite being made from base materials.
Common materials include brass, copper, nickel, pewter, glass, rhinestones, plastic, resin, acrylic, and imitation pearls or gemstones.
It remains the standard industry and historical term. 'Fashion jewellery' is a common modern synonym, but 'costume jewellery' is still widely used, especially for vintage pieces or in formal contexts.
inexpensive jewellery made from non-precious metals, imitation gemstones, and other base materials, often designed to complement a specific outfit or fashion trend.
Costume jewelry is usually neutral. used in both everyday and commercial/fashion contexts. in register.
Costume jewelry: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒstjuːm ˈdʒuːəlri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːstuːm ˈdʒuːəlri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “All that glitters is not gold (applies conceptually)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a theatrical COSTUME. The jewellery worn with it is for show, not real treasure—it's COSTUME JEWELLERY.
Conceptual Metaphor
APPEARANCE OVER SUBSTANCE (The value is in the look, not the material).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary distinction of 'costume jewellery'?