maquillage

American  

[mak-ee-ahzh, ma-kee-yazh] / ˌmæk iˈɑʒ, ma kiˈyaʒ /

noun

1. makeup.

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maquillage British  

/ makijaʒ /

noun

1. make-up; cosmetics

2. the application of make-up

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Etymology

Origin of maquillage

1890–95; < French, equivalent to maquill ( er ) to apply makeup (originally theater argot, perhaps to be identified with Old French masquillier blacken, smear, akin to mascurer, mascherer, verbal derivative of Vulgar Latin *mascar-; see masquerade) + -age -age

Explanation

The makeup you wear on stage to better embody the role of Lady Macbeth can be called maquillage. The thick, exaggerated maquillage exaggerates your features so that the whole audience can see your face. The French word maquillage comes from the verb maquiller, which means "to apply makeup," but also "to disguise or cover." In English, the term is most often used to refer to theatrical makeup — or to sound extra fancy: "My sister, the queen of maquillage, did all the face painting at the party!"

Example Sentences

The no-makeup movement seems to have been helped along by Alicia Keys, who almost two years ago, in a self-empowering statement, performed “Blended Family” on “The X Factor” sans maquillage.

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2018

Although in many respects an unknown quantity, the new head of state would not dream of being so un-French as to ignore the demands of his maquillage.

From The New Yorker • May 9, 2017

It was a private ritual, this morning maquillage, undertaken in public.

From Washington Post • Mar. 28, 2017

My dad was an old-school news journalist at the BBC, back before our lives were overtaken by 24-hour speculative commentary delivered by “folks” with showgirl maquillage and foaming tresses ... and that’s just the men.

From Slate • Oct. 12, 2012

I am not a believer in maquillage for the dead.

From Youth and Egolatry by Fassett, Jacob S. (Jacob Sloat)

Related Words

• lipstick
• paint