cothurnus

American  

[koh-thur-nuhs] / koʊˈθɜr nəs /

Also cothurn

noun

plural

cothurni

1. a grave and elevated style of acting; tragic acting; tragedy.

2. buskin.

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cothurnus British  

/ kəʊˈθɜːnəs, ˈkəʊθɜːn, kəʊˈθɜːn /

noun

1. the buskin worn in ancient Greek tragedy

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Other Word Forms

• cothurnal adjective

Etymology

Origin of cothurnus

1720–30; < Latin < Greek kóthornos buskin, type of boot worn by tragic actors in heroic roles

Example Sentences

In their tragedies they become heavy without grandeur, like Jonson, or mistake the stilts for the cothurnus, as Chapman and Webster too often do.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 02, No. 08, June 1858 by Various

The actor on the stage is admired whilst he is elevated by the cothurnus; but young men are not to exhibit their oratorical talents always with the advantages of stage effect and decorations.

From Practical Education, Volume II by Edgeworth, Maria

His is a muse which never lays aside the cothurnus, and a royalty which never puts off its crown, even in sleep.

From Amiel's Journal by Ward, Humphry, Mrs.

But is it just to exact the severity of the tragical cothurnus in light works of this description?

From Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature by Black, John

Agar, in peplos and cothurnus, recited the strophes once more.

From An Englishman in Paris Notes and Recollections by Albert D.