masque

or mask

[ mask, mahsk ]

/ mæsk, mɑsk /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR masque ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a form of aristocratic entertainment in England in the 16th and 17th centuries, originally consisting of pantomime and dancing but later including dialogue and song, presented in elaborate productions given by amateur and professional actors.

a dramatic composition for such entertainment.

a masquerade; masked ball; revel.

mask(def 14).

Nearby words

masoretic, masorite, maspero, maspero, gaston camille charles, masqat, masque, masque biliaire, masquer, masquerade, mass, mass affluent

Origin of masque

From Middle French, dating back to 1505–15; see origin at mask

Can be confused

mask masque mosque

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for masque

Masque of the Red Death was the second-to-last Poe film I made.
Roger Corman: My Nine Most Memorable Films, From ‘The Trip’ to ‘Battle Beyond the Stars’|Roger Corman|December 16, 2011|DAILY BEAST
V.S. Naipaul's new book, The Masque of Africa, has not been well received by critics.
The Best of Brit Lit|Peter Stothard|October 7, 2010|DAILY BEAST
It is all a masque—a profound masque of the spirit in labour.
Iconoclasts|James Huneker
This seems more likely than that the Masque had its origin in the story.
An Introduction to the Prose and Poetical Works of John Milton|Hiram Corson

In late years this had been practically a masque or an opera.
Complete Story of the San Francisco Horror|Richard Linthicum
His largest attempt—the masque called Cœlum Britannicum—is heavy.
A History of English Literature|George Saintsbury
"The Masque of Judgment" has some great work in its final pages—quite as great as anything in Faust.
The Letters of Ambrose Bierce|Ambrose Bierce

British Dictionary definitions for masque

masque

mask

/ (mɑːsk) /

noun

a dramatic entertainment of the 16th to 17th centuries in England, consisting of pantomime, dancing, dialogue, and song, often performed at court

the words and music written for a masque

short for masquerade

Word Origin for masque

C16: variant of mask

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