mask

mask — noun

1. An object made of fabric or other material that people put on their face to prot

1.nounA2
Definition

An object made of fabric or other material that people put on their face to protect against germs or dust, to keep their identity hidden, or for fun as part of a costume.

Example

Cyrus wore a surgical mask on the crowded morning train.

collocation: surgical mask for medical protection

The bank robber's black mask left only his eyes showing.

Common collocations
  • wear a mask
  • put on a mask
  • remove a mask
  • surgical mask
  • protective mask
  • dust mask
  • face mask
Synonyms
  • face covering

    a broader term that includes scarves or cloth tied around the face

  • veil

    specifically a thin cloth covering the face, often for religious or fashion reasons

  • disguise

    focuses on hiding identity rather than protection

Grammar Patterns

mask + of + material

Common Mistakes

I need to buy a mask for my dry skin.' (when meaning skincare).
I need to buy a face mask for my dry skin.
for skincare, say 'face mask' or 'sheet mask' to avoid confusion with a protective face covering.

2. A thick cream or a soft sheet of material that is spread over the face and remov

2.nounB1
Definition

A thick cream or a soft sheet of material that is spread over the face and removed after a short time to clean, moisturise, or improve the condition of the skin.

Example

Anjali applies a clay mask every Sunday to clean her pores.

collocation: clay mask for pore cleaning

This sheet mask is soaked in a serum that brightens tired skin.

collocation: sheet mask for skincare

Common collocations
  • face mask
  • clay mask
  • sheet mask
  • apply a mask
  • peel-off mask
  • hydrating mask
Synonyms
  • face pack

    chiefly British; a thick cream or gel applied to the face as a treatment

  • facial mask

    the same thing, slightly more formal term

Grammar Patterns

apply + mask

mask + for + skin type

Usage Note

Often preceded by a descriptive word indicating the type or function: 'clay mask', 'sheet mask', 'hydrating mask', 'charcoal mask'.

Common Mistakes

I wore a mask on my face all night to help my skin.
I left the mask on my face for fifteen minutes to help my skin.
skincare masks are not left on overnight unless the product specifically says so.

3. A way of behaving or a false appearance that hides someone's true feelings, char

3.nounB2
Definition

A way of behaving or a false appearance that hides someone's true feelings, character, or the real facts of a situation.

Example

His cheerful mask quickly fell away when he heard the bad news.

collocation: mask falls away (idiomatic)

Under a mask of calm confidence, Christopher was terribly nervous.

preposition pattern: under a mask of

Common collocations
  • mask of
  • under a mask
  • behind a mask
  • mask falls
  • mask slips
Synonyms
  • pretence

    direct synonym; focuses on the act of pretending rather than the appearance that hides

  • façade

    from French; suggests a more deliberate and long-lasting false front

  • cloak

    suggests something that covers or wraps the truth; more literary

Antonyms
  • honesty

    the opposite of hiding one's true feelings or facts

Grammar Patterns

mask of + noun

under a mask of

behind a mask of

Usage Note

Commonly used in the pattern 'a mask of + abstract noun' (mask of indifference, mask of friendliness, mask of professionalism).

4. On some animals and birds, a differently coloured zone of fur or feathers on the

4.nounB2
Definition

On some animals and birds, a differently coloured zone of fur or feathers on the face — usually around the eyes — that stands apart from the colour of the rest of the head.

Example

A raccoon's dark facial mask helps it blend into the nighttime shadows.

The panda's black-and-white eye mask makes it one of the most recognisable animals.

collocation: eye mask for animal colouration

Common collocations
  • facial mask
  • eye mask
  • black mask
  • dark mask
Synonyms
  • facial marking

    a broader, less specific term for any colour pattern on an animal's face

Grammar Patterns

facial mask

eye mask

Usage Note

This is a specialised use in biology and birdwatching. Not all dark eye markings are called masks — the term is used when the colour forms a noticeable band or patch across the eye area.

mask — verb

Word family

  • masked
    adjectiveB2
  • masking
    nounB2
  • unmask
    verbC1
  • masker
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These five verbs all describe keeping something from being seen or known, but they differ in how completely and how deliberately. 'Hide' is the most general word — you can hide a toy, a feeling, or a truth, accidentally or on purpose. 'Conceal' is more formal and always implies intention: a spy conceals a microphone inside a pen. 'Disguise' means changing the appearance of something rather than just covering it: you disguise your voice on the phone, or disguise a bitter taste with sugar. 'Camouflage' comes from military language and suggests making something blend into its surroundings so it is not noticed at all: soldiers camouflage their vehicles with netting, or a person camouflages their nervousness by acting calm. 'Obscure' is weaker than the others — it means making something difficult to see or understand, not necessarily hiding it completely: fog obscured the view, or technical jargon obscured the speaker's real point. For a learner, choosing between them depends on whether the hiding is complete or partial ('obscure' vs 'hide'), accidental or deliberate ('hide' vs 'conceal'), and whether the hidden thing's appearance is actively changed ('disguise' vs 'hide').

hide ↗conceal ↗disguise ↗camouflageobscure ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • wear a mask
  • put on a mask
  • take off a mask
  • remove a mask

Prepositions

Etymology

Medieval LatinItalianFrenchEnglish

The word 'mask' entered English in the 1500s from French 'masque', which came from Italian 'maschera' (a covering for the face). The Italian word may trace back to Medieval Latin 'masca' (meaning ghost or nightmare) or to Arabic 'maskharah' (مسخرة), meaning a clown or a mockery. The earliest English uses referred to face coverings worn at balls and in theatre. By the 1700s it was being used figuratively for anything that hides the truth, and in the 1800s it gained the cosmetic and protective meanings we use today.