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cothurnus

 - 4 dictionary results

co⋅thur⋅nus

  [koh-thur-nuhs]
Use cothurnus in a Sentence
–noun, plural -ni  [-nahy] .
1. a grave and elevated style of acting; tragic acting; tragedy.
2. buskin (def. 2).
Also, co⋅thurn  [koh-thurn, koh-thurn] .

Origin:
1720–30; < L < Gk kóthornos buskin, type of boot worn by tragic actors in heroic roles

Related forms:
co⋅thur⋅nal, adjective

bus⋅kin

  [buhs-kin]
–noun
1. a thick-soled, laced boot or half boot.
2. Also called cothurnus. the high, thick-soled shoe worn by ancient Greek and Roman tragedians.
3. buskins, stockings decorated with gold thread worn by a bishop at a Pontifical Mass.
4. tragic drama; tragedy. Compare sock 1 (def. 3).
5. the art of acting, esp. tragic acting.
6. a woman's low-cut shoe with elastic gores at the sides of the instep, popular in the early 20th century.
Origin:
1495–1505; prob. alter. of MF bro(u)sequin, of uncert. orig.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To cothurnus
co·thur·nus   (kō-thûr'nəs)   
n.   pl. co·thur·ni (-nī')

  1. A buskin worn by actors of classical tragedy.

  2. The ancient style of classical tragedy.


[Latin, from Greek kothornos.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

buskin 
"half boot," 1503, origin unknown, perhaps from O.Fr. brousequin or M.Du. brosekin "small leather boot." Figurative senses relating to tragedy are from the word being used (since 1570) to translate Gk. kothurnus, the high, thick-soled boot worn in Athenian tragedy; contrasted with sock, the low shoe worn by comedians.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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