cothurnus

noun

co·thur·nus kō-ˈthər-nəs

plural cothurni kō-ˈthər-ˌnī

-(ˌ)nē

1

or less commonly cothurn

ˈkō-ˌthərn

kō-ˈthərn

: a high thick-soled laced boot worn by actors in Greek and Roman tragic drama

2

: the dignified somewhat stilted style of ancient tragedy

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek kothornos

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of cothurnus was in 1606

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Browse Nearby Words

cothurnal

cothurnus

cotidal

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Cothurnus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cothurnus. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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