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Glite Dictionary
academic costume

academic costume

5.5
A formal robe and cap that university teachers and students wear at ceremonies like graduations
  • noun
  • /ˌækəˈdɛmɪk ˈkɒstjuːm/
  • Formal
translation icon : toga académica
  • The university requires all graduates to wear academic costume at the commencement ceremony.

Examples

  • Professors appeared in full academic costume for the annual convocation.

  • She rented her academic costume before the graduation ceremony.

  • She wore her academic costume with pride during the ceremony.

  • The academic costumes were beautifully designed for the graduation.

  • Professors appeared in full academic costume for the annual convocation.

  • The university requires all graduates to wear academic costume at the commencement ceremony.

  • She rented her academic costume before the graduation ceremony.

Synonyms

academic gown
vsacademic costume
  • Formal
1 5.3

A long loose robe that people wear at formal university events

is the complete traditional formal outfit worn by faculty or students at ceremonies
academic robe
vsacademic costume
4.2

A long loose gown worn by professors or judges on special occasions like graduation ceremonies

is used mainly in university ceremonies rather than in courts

How Formal

academic costume
  • Formal
5.5
dressed spiffily
  • Informal
7.8
casual
81 1.3

Surface Forms

academic costume singular
academic costumes plural

Morphology

academic + costume

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'academic' (relating to universities) with 'costume' (distinctive clothing): a B1 learner who knows both words will naturally infer it refers to clothing worn in academic contexts (e.g., graduation/regalia). This compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically (academic dress/regalia), so the overall sense is immediately comprehensible without prior exposure.

Etymology

Academic costume comes from a long time ago when university teachers and students wore long robes, hoods and square caps to keep warm and to show their position. That's why today Academic costume means the special gown, hood and cap people wear at 'graduation' and other university ceremonies.