mascara

American  

[ma-skar-uh, ma-skahr-uh] / mæˈskær ə, mæˈskɑr ə /

noun

1. a substance used as a cosmetic to color the eyelashes and eyebrows.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to apply mascara to.

mascara British  

/ mæˈskɑːrə /

noun

1. a cosmetic substance for darkening, colouring, and thickening the eyelashes, applied with a brush or rod

---

Etymology

Origin of mascara

1885–90; < Spanish: mask; see mask

Explanation

Mascara is makeup that makes your eyelashes look longer and thicker. If you wear mascara while watching a really sad movie, you may end up with black smudges under your eyes. Some people wear mascara every day, to darken their lashes or accent their eyes. Others save mascara — along with lipstick and eye shadow — for special occasions. Some form of mascara has been around for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Egypt, when kohl was used to color eyelashes. In English, this cosmetic was called mascaro from the 1880s until the 1920s, from the Italian word maschera, or "mask."

Example Sentences

“Now I’ve got mascara running down my face, and I’m a mess, but she said, ‘You have to keep moving, now, let’s go!’

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2026

Rehberger takes out a tube of mascara and begins brushing it on his beard for color, smiling as he does so.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2025

“My father would walk into the room and he would light it up,” she says, wiping her mascara in a confessional.

From Salon • May 5, 2025

They’ve even found their way into makeup; Hailey Bieber’s brand Rhode released a popular peptide-packed lip tint last year, and you can find them in mascara, eye shadow, blush … the list goes on.

From Slate • May 4, 2025

Angie has long eyelashes that she makes even longer with mascara.

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée