makeup

Or make-up

[meyk-uhp]

noun

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.

Other Word Forms

• nonmakeup adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of makeup¹

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

Example Sentences

As Mao noted, the team is not altering a material's chemistry or molecular makeup.

Read more on Science Daily

She’s a downtown girl, but don’t be surprised if she pops up in Leimert Park to connect with her community in a makeup look that’s anything but casual.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Regardless of their size, shape, or sharpness, teeth typically have the same genetic roots, similar physical makeup, and, almost always, a place in the jaw.

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“It was the innocence in Jacob’s portrayal that kept getting me,” says makeup artist and prosthetics designer Mike Hill.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Callahan raved about everything from Ward’s physical tools to his mental makeup as he outlined why the former University of Miami passer was exactly the player to turn around the struggling franchise.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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