whiteface

American  

[hwahyt-feys, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪtˌfeɪs, ˈwaɪt- /

noun

1. a Hereford.

2. Theater.

   1. a performer, as a clown, who appears in clown white.

   2. the white facial makeup used by such a performer.

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Etymology

Origin of whiteface

First recorded in 1700–10; white + face

Example Sentences

Further, she criticized Chicago police for their alleged failure to investigate an online video showing one of the brothers “in whiteface doing a joke monologue with white makeup on,”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 18, 2022

Because, truly, you do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface on Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween.

From Slate • Oct. 25, 2018

It is part of a whiteface tradition that is a survival mechanism and a theme in Black Art.

From Salon • Sep. 8, 2018

His making the pencil “disappear” is a stomach-turning exercise in wickedness and his whiteface makeup, always apparently disintegrating with sweat makes him look especially malign.

From The Guardian • Feb. 8, 2018

"How come you on the Hortobágy, eh! whiteface?" asked Sándor, while the runaway let him catch it easily enough by the halter still knotted to its head.

From The Yellow Rose by J?kai, M?r