Standard Lemma guide

buskin

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈbʌskɪn/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A soft boot reaching to calf or knee height.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A pontifical vestment in the form of a silk stocking, sometimes embroidered or interwoven with gold thread, reaching to the base of the knee and worn over one’s regular socks but under episcopal sandals.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: Catholicism, Christianity

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: caliga

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A type of soft calf- or knee-high boot that laces up the front, sometimes featuring open toes or thick soles, worn in the Greco-Roman world by hunters and horsemen, as well as by actors in Athenian tragedy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cothurn, cothurnus, Melpomene

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Tragic drama; tragedy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

An instrument of torture for the foot; bootikin.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a boot reaching halfway up to the knee

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: combat boot, desert boot, half boot, top boot

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: boot

History

Etymology

Apparently from Old French bousequin, variant of brousequin (compare modern French brodequin), probably from Middle Dutch broseken, of unknown origin.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: toneellaars — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • Dutch: broos — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • Finnish: koturni — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • French: cothurne — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • German: Kothurn — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • Greek: κόθορνος (kóthornos) — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • Ancient Greek: κόθορνος (kóthornos) — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • Italian: coturno — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • Latin: cothurnus — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • Polish: koturn — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • Russian: коту́рн (kotúrn) — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors
  • Spanish: coturno — type of boot with a thick sole, worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors