visor

American  

[vahy-zer] / ˈvaɪ zər /

Or vizor

noun

1. Armor.

   1. (on a close helmet) a piece having slits or holes for vision, situated above and pivoted with a beaver or a ventail and beaver.

   2. a similar piece of plate having holes or slits for vision and breathing, attached to or used with any of various other helmets, as the armet, sallet, basinet, or helm.

2. the projecting front brim of a cap.

3. a rigid adjustable flap on an automobile windshield that can shield the eyes of a driver from direct sunlight or glare.

4. a means of concealment; disguise.

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verb (used with object)

1. to protect or mask with a visor; shield.

visor British  

/ ˈvaɪzə /

noun

1. a transparent flap on a helmet that can be pulled down to protect the face

2. a piece of armour fixed or hinged to the helmet to protect the face and with slits for the eyes

3. another name for peak

4. a small movable screen used as protection against glare from the sun, esp one attached above the windscreen of a motor vehicle

5. archaic a mask or any other means of disguise or concealment

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verb

1. (tr) to cover, provide, or protect with a visor; shield

Other Word Forms

• unvisored adjective
• visored adjective
• visorless adjective

Etymology

Origin of visor

1250–1300; Middle English viser < Anglo-French (compare Old French visiere ), equivalent to vis face ( visage ) + -er -er ²

Explanation

A visor is part of the front of a helmet that can usually be raised or lowered. Visors shade your eyes from the sun. The brim of a hat keeps the sun out of your eyes, but the visor of a helmet does an even better job. The visor actually covers your eyes, much like sunglasses. Many motorcycle helmets have a visor, and so do some police helmets and football helmets. As with sunglasses, the visor restricts your vision in some ways, so it's the kind of thing you would only want to use if the sun is blinding.

Example Sentences

The difference this year is that all those elements were provided by one 50-year-old man in a white visor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

Robinson went into her parents’ closet and dressed herself in a polo, a skort and a visor.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 24, 2025

The image of the princess walking through a minefield, in a visor and body armour, had brought worldwide attention to the danger caused by mines left behind after wars had ended.

From BBC • Jul. 16, 2025

With a sun visor on backward and a pen stuck in the elastic band, he patiently removed one of his earbuds to better hear a reporter ask why he was still making deliveries.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2025

He's seldom home anymore, since he also works at the MützenFabrik, a factory that makes stiff military hats, the kind with the visor in front.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti