face mask

American  

Or facemask

noun

1. Sports. the protective equipment, usually made of steel or plastic, that guards the face, as the steel cage worn by a baseball catcher or the molded plastic covering worn by a hockey goalkeeper.

2. any of various similar devices to shield the face, sometimes attached to or forming part of a helmet, as that worn by workers engaged in a hazardous activity.

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Etymology

Origin of face mask

First recorded in 1905–10; face + mask

Example Sentences

Wearing a face mask, Maradona struggled to walk onto the field on his own.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

During the removal process, she wore a face mask connected to a rolling cart of the laughing gas and oxygen tanks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos of Pima County told CBS News that investigators believe the clothing and face mask worn by the suspect were purchased at a Walmart.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

If you are unwell but must go out, consider wearing a face mask to help protect others.

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2025

He stretches to take it from me, fixing his face mask with the other hand.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott