1
Stage 1 of 3
costume play
English · early 1900s
"dressing up in costume for fun"
the phrase described dressing up as characters at parties and masquerades
2
Stage 2 of 3
kosupure
Japanese · 1984
"dressing as a fictional character"
clipped and blended into a single word by a Japanese journalist covering an LA sci-fi convention
3
Stage 3 of 3
cosplay
English · 1990s-2000s
"dressing as a character from fiction for fun or performance"
re-imported into English through anime and manga fan culture
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