ˈbəskə̇n noun
( -s )
Etymology: perhaps modification of Spanish borceguí (Old Spanish also borzeguina ), of non-Indo-European origin; probably akin to the source of Middle French broissequin, a sometimes fawn-colored cloth, Medieval Latin brucequinus buskin
1. : a strong thick-soled laced foot covering with a legging reaching halfway or more to the knee
2.
a. : cothurnus
b. : tragedy
they witnessed 10 new plays in 12 days, which is plenty of sock and a lot of buskin — Newsweek
especially : tragedy felt to resemble that of the ancient Greek drama in style or spirit — compare sock 3b
3. : a woman's low-cut house shoe in leather or fabric having a piece of elastic goring at the instep
4. buskins plural : gold-threaded silk stockings worn by a Roman Catholic bishop at a pontifical mass