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.

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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

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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

She orders groceries, sanitary napkins and cosmetics like mascara, saving herself a weekly grocery-store run.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

Expect a lot of smudged mascara as the pair receive a send-off to remember.

From BBC • Dec. 21, 2025

He jokes that he just adds more “crudely drawn crayon lines and mascara beard” to show his character aging throughout the course of the show.

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

"No mess," his mom said, "waterproof mascara and stay-put foundation."

From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell