makeup

American  

[mayk-uhp] / ˈmeɪkˌʌp /

Or make-up

noun

• makeup
  plural

1. facial cosmetics, as eye shadow or lipstick.

2. cosmetics used on other parts of the body, as to cover birthmarks.

3. the application of cosmetics.

4. the ensemble or effect created by such application.

   Her makeup was subtle but very effective.

5. the total ensemble of cosmetics, wigs, costumes, etc., used by an actor or other performer.

6. the manner of being made up or put together; composition.

   the makeup of a team; the makeup of a situation.

7. physical or mental constitution.

   the makeup of a criminal.

8. the art, technique, or process of arranging or laying out, as pages in a publication.

9. the appearance of a page, book, newspaper, or the like, resulting from the arrangement and the variation in size and style of the printed elements.

   The makeup would be helped by a picture in this corner.

10. Printing. the arrangement of set type, cuts, etc., into columns or pages.

11. an examination, assignment, or the like, given to offset a student's previous absence or failure.

12. an amount owed; balance.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonmakeup
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• makeup
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of makeup

First recorded in 1805–15; noun use of verb phrase make up

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Explanation

Your makeup is the sum of what makes you who you are, or the sum of what you smear on your face! You could say that your makeup is a combination of your parents' genes. Or, you could wear cosmetic makeup to accentuate those physical traits. Your makeup is every personality characteristic that, combined, form a unique person — but the makeup you put on your face can be used to disguise your real self a little bit. This kind of makeup is also called cosmetics, and it consists of things like lipstick, mascara, foundation, and so on. This meaning of makeup has been in use since the 1880s, a period when Queen Victoria declared it vulgar, only appropriate for stage actors.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

makeup

“There was absolutely no makeup used on Pride & Prejudice,” the movie’s hair and makeup artist, Fae Hammond, told Stylist in 2014.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Other events include a USC panel celebrating makeup and special effects artists that took place Tuesday and, still to come, a ’70s themed game night at members club SoHo Warehouse on Oct.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

The chemical makeup of a giant planet's outer atmosphere is thought to retain clues about the environment where it originally formed.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

"My hair, my makeup, my shoes, my jewellery, my purse, my gloves, everything. And just from creating that exterior for me, he gave me the sense of a spy lady."

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

She trails off, biting her lip as she rummages around the makeup bag.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

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Related Words

• content
• design
• formation
• layout
• setup
• shape
• style

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