lipstick

American  

[lip-stik] / ˈlɪpˌstɪk /

noun

1. a crayonlike oil-based cosmetic used in coloring the lips, usually in a tubular container.

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lipstick British  

/ ˈlɪpˌstɪk /

noun

1. a cosmetic for colouring the lips, usually in the form of a stick

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Etymology

Origin of lipstick

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80; lip + stick ¹

Explanation

Lipstick is makeup that makes your lips look darker, redder, or shinier. Your French teacher might be famous in your school for her heart-shaped glasses and bright pink lipstick. Some people like to wear lipstick every day, while others save it for fancy occasions. Most lipstick is a waxy, slightly creamy substance in a stick that's tinted with red pigment that colors your lips. It's a cosmetic that dates back at least to medieval times, and probably even farther back than that. In the 1600s, a fashionable look for upper class European women was a pale white face and bright red lipstick.

Example Sentences

His miniature fingernail polish paintings of everyday objects — a purse, a lipstick tube, a stiletto — are equal parts playful and macabre.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

FWRD, pronounced forward, caters to a slightly wealthier and older set than the Revolve brand, but executives say there is considerable overlap between shoppers hunting for a $20 tube of lipstick and a $50,000 handbag.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The child they produced had different ideas and deep red lipstick is one of Wylie's trademarks.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

A tube of lipstick tossed onto a scatter of counter clutter.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

She hands the heavy mug to me, her lipstick a bloody crescent on the rim.

From "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Related Words

• paint