eyeliner

American  

[ahy-lahy-ner] / ˈaɪˌlaɪ nər /

noun

1. a cosmetic for the eyelids, usually applied in a thin line close to the lashes to accentuate the eyes.

---

eyeliner British  

/ ˈaɪˌlaɪnə /

noun

1. a cosmetic used to outline the eyes

---

Etymology

Origin of eyeliner

First recorded in 1955–60; eye + liner ¹

Example Sentences

Undo the tight, slicked back bun and bring in halo dyed hair, dark eyeliner and the piercing she did herself on the inside of her upper lip.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026

But Vance wasn’t wearing any eyeliner that day and didn’t engage in such drama.

From Salon • Jan. 16, 2026

Her tousled hair and bold eyeliner set fashion trends worldwide, while her performances cemented Bardot as a cinematic trailblazer.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025

“According to queer theory, if you’re a man who behaves in ‘unmasculine’ ways or wears eyeliner you must be a woman inside, which I thought was regressive,” Appel, who graduated in 2020, recalled.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

After the slow dance, my first ever, I’m in the bathroom—it’s cruddy—and I look at myself in the mirror and touch up the small bit of brown eyeliner I’m wearing.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King