war paint

noun

1. paint applied by American Indians to their faces and bodies before going to war.
2. Informal. makeup; cosmetics.
3. Informal. full dress; regalia.

war paint

noun

1. painted decoration of the face and body applied by certain North American Indians before battle
2. informal.
   finery or regalia
3. informal.
   cosmetics

Word History and Origins

Origin of war paint¹

An Americanism dating back to 1820–30

Example Sentences

You see people in war paint or doing the tomahawk chop and saying, “Scalp him.”

From The Daily Beast

He thought Redskins was funny, just as he thought the war paint and feather headdress he made the head coach wear were funny.

From The Daily Beast

That "partisan war paint" is going to be requoted and remembered for some time.

From The Daily Beast

The general ensemble of war-paint and spotted ponies was enough for me; I didn't need to be told that it was my move.

From Project Gutenberg

Wolf Paw, frowning down at him angrily, was still wearing his yellow and red war paint, faded by the ride of several days.

From Project Gutenberg

House grinned; but two big hot tears coursed down cheek of Silomio, making deep furrows in the war paint.

From Project Gutenberg

I-o-wy, the Ioway; one of Black Hawks principal warriors; his body curiously ornamented with his war-paint.

From Project Gutenberg

They set off through the forest, a grim and terrible company, smeared with war paint and stained with human blood.

From Project Gutenberg