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Definition of costus

costus

/ˈkɑːstəs/
cos · tus
Plural:costuses
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costus Lexical Profile

costus Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Any perennial herbaceous plant of the tropical genus Costus (family Costaceae), often called spiral ginger, characterized by spirally arranged stems and showy, colorful cone-like floral bracts bearing tubular blossoms of red, yellow, orange, or white.

2

A tall perennial thistle-like herb ( Dolomiaea costus, formerly Saussurea costus) of the family Asteraceae native to the high Himalayas, or its fragrant dried root used since antiquity in traditional Asian medicine, incense, and perfumery.

Synonyms
View all synonyms for costus

• Nearby Words

costumey
costumier
costuming
costus
cosumnes
cot
cote d'ivoire

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed via Latin costus and Ancient Greek kostos, ultimately derived from Sanskrit kushtha, the ancient name for the aromatic medicinal plant native to the Himalayas.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Costus. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/costus
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