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yellowface

American  
[yel-oh-feys] / ˈyɛl oʊˌfeɪs /

noun

  1. facial makeup used by a white, non-Asian actor or entertainer when portraying an East Asian.

    In Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, the role of Cio-Cio San was performed in yellowface.

Etymology

Origin of yellowface

First recorded in 1850–55; yellow (in the sense “Asian”) + face ( def. )

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.

And it was very common at the time for white actors to appear in yellowface.

From Fox News • Jun. 7, 2020

The role Wong auditioned for was ultimately given to Luise Rainer, a German-British actress who wore yellowface.

From Fox News • Jun. 7, 2020

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.