couture

1 of 2

noun

cou·ture kü-ˈtu̇r

-ˈtᵫr

Synonyms of couture next

: the business of designing, making, and selling fashionable custom-made clothing

the world of Paris couture

: the designers and establishments engaged in couture

For more than a century, the couture was the undisputed fashion source for women in the Western world.—

Bernadine Morris

: the clothes created by couture

For them, buying French couture has become a status symbol, something to rack up along with their brand-new BMWs and their hacienda-style villas …—

Vogue

couture

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or being high-end custom-made fashion

Neither are these designers unduly concerned about styles that lend themselves to being folded and packed—the couture clientele travels with trunks, not duffel bags, and, presumably, there is always someone on the other end to take care of the wrinkles.—

Bernadine Morris

However, Owens credits his success to the ease of what he calls his "T-shirt versions of couture dresses."—

David Colman

Examples of couture in a Sentence

Noun The book discusses the relationship between culture and couture. I can't afford to wear couture.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Noun

Grande's costar Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the movie adaptation, wore a black Schiaparelli couture dress just like her character. —

Catherine Santino, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024 Kardashian wore a white corset with a plunging neckline, along with white bottoms and a coat from Thierry Mugler’s 1998 couture collection. —

Lori A Bashian Fox News, Fox News, 26 Oct. 2024

Adjective

Focus showed a sneak peek of its brand-new trailer for Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, a whimsical, heartwarming comedy starring Lesley Manville as a British housekeeper whose dream of owning a couture Christian dress and travels to Paris. —

Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Apr. 2022 See all Example Sentences for couture

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from Old French cousture sewing, from Vulgar Latin *consutura, from Latin consutus, past participle of consuere to sew together, from com- + suere to sew — more at sew

First Known Use

Noun

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of couture was in 1908

See more words from the same year