Showing results for "mask"

• a variation of masque.

mask

American  

[mask, mahsk] / mæsk, mɑsk /

noun

masks plural

1. a covering for all or part of the face, worn to conceal one's identity.

2. a grotesque or humorous false face worn at a carnival, masquerade, etc..

   Halloween masks.

3. Also called swim mask.  a device consisting typically of a transparent glass or plastic panel fitted into a flexible rubber gasket that fits snugly around the eyes, over the cheeks, and usually over the nose: used by skin divers.

4. anything that disguises or conceals; disguise; pretense.

   His politeness is a mask for his fundamentally malicious personality.

5. a likeness of a face, as one molded on the face in plaster.

6. a covering of wire, gauze, etc., to protect the face, as from splinters, dust, or a pitched ball.

7. gas mask.

8. any protective covering for the face or head.

9. any protective covering, as paper, cardboard, plastic, or the like, used for masking an area of something, as of a photograph or window.

10. the dark shading on the muzzle of certain dogs.

11. a representation of a face or head, generally grotesque, used as an architectural ornament or as a decorative device in weaponry, furniture, etc.

12. a person wearing a mask; masker.

13. masque.

14. Also a cosmetic cream, gel, paste, or the like, that is applied to the face and allowed to remain for a short time before being removed and is used for tightening, cleansing, refreshing, or lubricating the skin.

15. a piece of cloth, silk, or plastic material covering the face of an actor to symbolize the character being represented: used in Greek and Roman drama and in some modern plays.

16. the face or head, as of a fox.

17. Electronics. a type of stencil applied to the surface of a semiconductor to permit selective etching or deposition: used in the manufacture of integrated circuits by photolithography.

18. Fortification. a screen, as of earth or brush, for concealing or protecting a battery or any military operation.

19. Also called braker.  Shipbuilding. a sliding timber construction braced against the stern of a hull being launched to keep it from entering the water too rapidly.

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verb (used with object)

masks, present (3rd person singular) masked, past participle, past masking present participle

1. to disguise or conceal; hide; dissemble.

   to mask one's intentions.

   Synonyms:

   cover, cloak, screen, veil

2. to cover or conceal with a mask.

3. to cover or shield a part of (a design, picture, etc.) in order to prevent reproduction or to protect the surface from the colors used, as in working with an air brush or in painting.

4. Fortification. to conceal (a battery or any military operation) from the enemy.

5. to hinder, as an army, from conducting an operation.

verb (used without object)

masks, present (3rd person singular) masked, past participle, past masking present participle

1. to put on a mask; disguise oneself.

mask British  

/ mɑːsk /

noun

1. any covering for the whole or a part of the face worn for amusement, protection, disguise, etc

2. a fact, action, etc, that conceals something

   his talk was a mask for his ignorance

3. another name for masquerade

4. a likeness of a face or head, either sculpted or moulded, such as a death mask

5. an image of a face worn by an actor, esp in ancient Greek and Roman drama, in order to symbolize the character being portrayed

6. a variant spelling of masque

7. surgery a sterile gauze covering for the nose and mouth worn esp during operations to minimize the spread of germs

8. sport a protective covering for the face worn for fencing, ice hockey, etc

9. a carving in the form of a face or head, used as an ornament

10. a natural land feature or artificial object which conceals troops, etc, from view

11. a device placed over the nose and mouth to facilitate or prevent inhalation of a gas

12. photog a shield of paper, paint, etc, placed over an area of unexposed photographic surface to stop light falling on it

13. electronics a thin sheet of material from which a pattern has been cut, placed over a semiconductor chip so that an integrated circuit can be formed on the exposed areas

14. computing a bit pattern which, by convolution with a second pattern in a logical operation, can be used to isolate a specific subset of the second pattern for examination

15. entomol a large prehensile mouthpart (labium) of the dragonfly larva

16. the face or head of an animal, such as a fox, or the dark coloration of the face of some animals, such as Siamese cats and certain dogs

17. another word for face pack

18. rare a person wearing a mask

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verb

1. to cover with or put on a mask

2. (tr) to conceal; disguise

   to mask an odour

3. (tr) photog to shield a particular area of (an unexposed photographic surface) in order to prevent or reduce the action of light there

4. (tr) to shield a particular area of (a surface to be painted) with masking tape

5. (tr) to cover (cooked food, esp meat) with a savoury sauce or glaze

6. a Scottish variant of mash

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• masklike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• masks
  plural

Participles

• masking
  present
• masked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• mask
  simple
• masks
  simple
• have masked
  perfect
• has masked
  perfect
• am masking
  progressive
• are masking
  progressive
• is masking
  progressive
• have been masking
  perfect progressive
• has been masking
  perfect progressive

Past

• masked
  simple
• had masked
  perfect
• was masking
  progressive
• were masking
  progressive
• had been masking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will mask
  simple
• will have masked
  perfect
• will be masking
  progressive
• will have been masking
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of mask

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French masque, perhaps directly from Italian maschera “mask, disguise,” from unattested pre-Latin maskara, an extended form of unattested mask-, probably with the original sense “black” (blackening the face being a simple form of disguise); another development of the same base is early Medieval Latin masca “witch, ghost” (also, “mask”); see mascot

Explanation

A mask is a disguise that covers just your face. Your Halloween costume might include a scary monster mask and a furry suit with a tail, or maybe you just wear that for fun. You can wear a mask to conceal your identity, to dress up as a character for a party or holiday, to scare someone, or to make someone laugh. Robbers sometimes wear masks so they can't be identified, and an actor might wear a mask while playing the role of a rabbit in a play. Other masks are useful, including masks that protect patients from germs and masks that keep skiers' faces warm.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mask masks masked masking

She said she was carrying a mask in case the smoke situation in the city became worse.

From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026

For residents, there’s panic as to what, if any, recourse they may have at this late stage, with one man joking he may forever have to blast loud music all day to mask rider screams.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

She’ll go for a 30-minute walk outside wearing a weighted vest, UV protectant facial mask and sun hat, then spend another 30 in her home gym.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

For the past few days, Justine Kirby has been sporting an N95 mask every time she leaves her house to walk in her quiet Upper East Side neighbourhood.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

He climbed down and handed the mask to his brother.

From "A Monster of a Mystery (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #5)" by Franklin W. Dixon

Will people start wearing N95 masks indoors, or have breathing apparatuses hooked up to their chests like fighter pilots?

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

Pilots declared an emergency, dropped oxygen masks in the cabin, and turned back to Wichita, Kan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

In cities across the Midwest and Northeast, people wore masks outdoors to filter out the dangerous air.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

Quijada and Robinson adopt the masks of their characters as freely as they momentarily set them aside to directly address the audience.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

The last of the firemen were emerging from the house, pulling the masks from their faces.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

This misdirection masked Washington’s responsibility for $2.7 trillion in U.S. financial sector losses and $4.1 trillion globally, alongside massive indirect destruction—a $14 trillion loss in U.S. output and $19 trillion in evaporated household wealth.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

You have protested masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in your neighborhoods.

From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026

Several hundred protesters shouted slogans hostile to US policies in the Middle East and tried to get close to the yacht, guarded by masked police officers, local media footage showed.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

And despite what those masked men might believe, every one of us has a role in shaping its next chapter.

From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026

She slid out from her corner and went after her, watching as the huntress took a seat at the long table with one of her men and a masked reveler dressed as a queen.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo

In workplaces, many describe "masking," a term which means trying to hide their traits in order to fit in - something which can put a huge strain on the person's wellbeing.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

Together, “Couture” and Jolie confront the true realities of aging that have nothing to do with masking and everything to do with being as open and candid as possible.

From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026

But they have also bought from neighboring countries that are masking Sudanese gum as local, traders say.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026

Consider the overbalance of gloss-black surfaces—not just the grille form but the roof, roof racks, roof pillars, bumpers, mirror caps, rear diffuser thingy, deep-tinted rear glass and heavy window masking.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026

He kept his hood up, masking his face, hair, and anything that would have let me recognize him later.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

Related Words

• camouflage
• conceal
• cover-up
• hide
• obscure
• shield
• veil