yellowface

[ yel-oh-feys ]

noun

1. facial makeup used by a white, non-Asian actor or entertainer when portraying an East Asian:

   In Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, the role of Cio-Cio San was performed in yellowface.

Word History and Origins

Origin of yellowface¹

First recorded in 1850–55; yellow (in the sense “Asian”) + face ( def )