mask

[ mask, mahsk ]

/ mæsk, mɑsk /

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See synonyms for: mask / masked / masking / masklike on Thesaurus.com

noun

a covering for all or part of the face, worn to conceal one's identity.

a grotesque or humorous false face worn at a carnival, masquerade, etc.: Halloween masks.

Also called swim mask. a device consisting typically of a transparent glass or plastic panel fitted into a flexible rubber gasket that fits snugly around the eyes, over the cheeks, and usually over the nose: used by skin divers.

anything that disguises or conceals; disguise; pretense: His politeness is a mask for his fundamentally malicious personality.

a likeness of a face, as one molded on the face in plaster.Compare death mask, life mask.

a covering of wire, gauze, etc., to protect the face, as from splinters, dust, or a pitched ball.

gas mask.

any protective covering for the face or head.

any protective covering, as paper, cardboard, plastic, or the like, used for masking an area of something, as of a photograph or window.

the dark shading on the muzzle of certain dogs.

a representation of a face or head, generally grotesque, used as an architectural ornament or as a decorative device in weaponry, furniture, etc.

a person wearing a mask; masker.

masque (defs. 1-3).

Also masque. a cosmetic cream, gel, paste, or the like, that is applied to the face and allowed to remain for a short time before being removed and is used for tightening, cleansing, refreshing, or lubricating the skin.

a piece of cloth, silk, or plastic material covering the face of an actor to symbolize the character being represented: used in Greek and Roman drama and in some modern plays.

the face or head, as of a fox.

Electronics. a type of stencil applied to the surface of a semiconductor to permit selective etching or deposition: used in the manufacture of integrated circuits by photolithography.

Fortification. a screen, as of earth or brush, for concealing or protecting a battery or any military operation.

Also called braker. Shipbuilding. a sliding timber construction braced against the stern of a hull being launched to keep it from entering the water too rapidly.

verb (used with object)

to disguise or conceal; hide; dissemble: to mask one's intentions.

to cover or conceal with a mask.

to cover or shield a part of (a design, picture, etc.) in order to prevent reproduction or to protect the surface from the colors used, as in working with an air brush or in painting.

Fortification. to conceal (a battery or any military operation) from the enemy.

to hinder, as an army, from conducting an operation.

verb (used without object)

to put on a mask; disguise oneself.

SYNONYMS FOR mask

20 veil, screen, cloak, cover.

See synonyms for mask on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of mask

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French masque, perhaps directly from Italian maschera “mask, disguise,” from unattested pre-Latin maskara, an extended form of unattested mask-, probably with the original sense “black” (blackening the face being a simple form of disguise); another development of the same base is early Medieval Latin masca “witch, ghost” (also, “mask”); see mascot

OTHER WORDS FROM mask

masklike, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mask

mask , masque, mosque

Words nearby mask

mashrebeeyah, mash-up, Mashyē and Mashyānē, Masinissa, masjid, mask, maskalonge, maskanonge, masked, masked ball, masked gout

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for mask

Danielle Schumann, a Target corporate spokeswoman, said Target requires shoppers to wear masks inside stores.
Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider does not approve of anti-maskers using ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’|radmarya|September 17, 2020|Fortune
Biden is leading by example — which is the reason he wears a mask.
In 160 words, Trump reveals how little he cares about the pandemic|Philip Bump|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
Take, for example, wearing face masks — something many Americans are still not doing.
Why Coming Up With Effective Interventions To Address COVID-19 Is So Hard|Neil Lewis Jr. (nlewisjr@cornell.edu)|September 14, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Still, only 34 states and the District of Columbia have universal mask mandates, and many of those mandates didn’t begin until the summer months.
Trump downplayed the threat from COVID-19. Here’s how we could’ve fought back harder.|Kate Baggaley|September 11, 2020|Popular Science

Before designing its own masks, Apple provided employees with standard cloth masks.
Apple has developed special face masks for employees|Verne Kopytoff|September 9, 2020|Fortune
A spandex mask stretched over his face, covering his eyes and nose.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mailer would argue, for example, that timidity does more harm to the novelist than donning a mask of extreme self-confidence.
Mailer’s Letters Pack a Punch and a Surprising Degree of Sweetness|Ronald K. Fried|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, what this map really showed was the fallacy of aggregates – and how statistics can mask real cultural shifts.
Beer Countries vs. Wine Countries|Clive Irving|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Onion routers refers to the TOR network, a system that allows users to mask their location and communicate anonymously online.
ISIS Keeps Getting Better at Dodging U.S. Spies|Shane Harris, Noah Shachtman|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One gets the sense that they are wearing a mask to confuse their readers, and even to evade them.
Sor Juana: Mexico’s Most Erotic Poet and Its Most Dangerous Nun|Katie Baker|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For others life is but a foolish leisure with mock activities and mimic avocations to mask its uselessness.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
He laid it upon the floor, and took out a plaster mask, and brushing and blowing off the saw-dust, held it up.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
I must make no mistake, and blunder into a national type of features, all wrong; if I make your mask, it must do us credit.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
He flourished in one hand his red mask and in the other a pompon which he had extracted from his pocket.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
Aristide in a hideous red mask and with a bag of confetti under his arm, plunged with enthusiasm into the revelry.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke

British Dictionary definitions for mask

mask

/ (mɑːsk) /

noun

any covering for the whole or a part of the face worn for amusement, protection, disguise, etc

a fact, action, etc, that conceals somethinghis talk was a mask for his ignorance

another name for masquerade

a likeness of a face or head, either sculpted or moulded, such as a death mask

an image of a face worn by an actor, esp in ancient Greek and Roman drama, in order to symbolize the character being portrayed

a variant spelling of masque

surgery a sterile gauze covering for the nose and mouth worn esp during operations to minimize the spread of germs

sport a protective covering for the face worn for fencing, ice hockey, etc

a carving in the form of a face or head, used as an ornament

a natural land feature or artificial object which conceals troops, etc, from view

a device placed over the nose and mouth to facilitate or prevent inhalation of a gas

photog a shield of paper, paint, etc, placed over an area of unexposed photographic surface to stop light falling on it

electronics a thin sheet of material from which a pattern has been cut, placed over a semiconductor chip so that an integrated circuit can be formed on the exposed areas

computing a bit pattern which, by convolution with a second pattern in a logical operation, can be used to isolate a specific subset of the second pattern for examination

entomol a large prehensile mouthpart (labium) of the dragonfly larva

the face or head of an animal, such as a fox, or the dark coloration of the face of some animals, such as Siamese cats and certain dogs

another word for face pack

rare a person wearing a mask

verb

to cover with or put on a mask

(tr) to conceal; disguiseto mask an odour

(tr) photog to shield a particular area of (an unexposed photographic surface) in order to prevent or reduce the action of light there

(tr) to shield a particular area of (a surface to be painted) with masking tape

(tr) to cover (cooked food, esp meat) with a savoury sauce or glaze

a Scottish variant of mash (def. 8)

Derived forms of mask

masklike, adjective

Word Origin for mask

C16: from Italian maschera, ultimately from Arabic maskharah clown, from sakhira mockery

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for mask

mask

[ măsk ]

n.

A covering for the nose and mouth that is used for inhaling oxygen or an anesthetic.

A covering worn over the nose and mouth, as by a surgeon or dentist, to prevent infection.

A facial bandage.

Something, often a trait, that disguises or conceals.

Any of a variety of conditions producing alteration or discoloration of the skin of the face.

An expressionless appearance of the face seen in certain diseases, such as Parkinsonism.

v.

To cover with a protective mask.

To cover in order to conceal, protect, or disguise.

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