face mask
Americannoun
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Sports. the protective equipment, usually made of steel or plastic, that guards the face, as the steel cage worn by a baseball catcher or the molded plastic covering worn by a hockey goalkeeper.
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any of various similar devices to shield the face, sometimes attached to or forming part of a helmet, as that worn by workers engaged in a hazardous activity.
Etymology
Origin of face mask
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His previous creations have included a smartwatch and a high-tech face mask launched during the pandemic and tricked out with Bluetooth, LED lights and a magnetic earbud docking system.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
Swedish star Felicia performs her song in a diamond-studded face mask.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
Kim, who appeared in court wearing a white face mask, kept her head lowered as the verdict was announced.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
Bucknor’s difficult week continued on Wednesday when he left a game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers after a foul ball hit him flush in the face mask.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
I shiver, draw my hoodie tightly up so that it covers all of my hair, and pull on a black face mask.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.