Mask

Mask

Noun / Verb · /mɑːsk/

Definition

(Noun) a covering worn over the face to conceal identity, protect, or for ceremonial purposes; a face covering used for medical protection or infection control; a face pack applied to the skin; in photography and computing, a layer that selectively blocks part of an image or process; (Verb) to conceal or disguise; to put a mask on.

Origin

From French masque (mask), from Italian maschera or Spanish máscara (mask, masquerade), probably from Arabic maskhara (buffoon, clown), from sakhira (to ridicule, to mock). Alternatively, some etymologists derive it from Medieval Latin masca (witch, ghost). The word entered English in the 16th century.