Masque
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 A dramatic performance, often performed at court as a royal entertainment, consisting of dancing, dialogue, pantomime and song. historical
""I think," said Anne to Madame de Mercœur, "we must obtain your protégée's services for our intended masque; however, I shall leave that to you young people to settle," turning to Louis as she spoke."
- 2 a party of guests wearing costumes and masks wordnet
- 3 Words and music written for a masque.
"Over six sections – a prologue, a life-story, a dream-quest, a dirge, a masque and an epilogue – they meditate on their lives, their hopes, their losses, and on the human condition."
- 4 A masquerade.
"The game of pretence is enhanced by dressing-up, and it is natural for a child to copy some grown-up hero. The game was also played by all those people who have attended masques and fancy-dress parties and by Marie-Antoinette when she played at being a milkmaid, it is only the fashion which had altered."
- 5 Obsolete spelling of mask. alt-of, obsolete
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- 6 A facial mask.
"mud masque; clay masque"
- 1 Archaic spelling of mask. alt-of, archaic
"It is even masqued by that sort of good-humoured air that at heart he resents his impressment."
Example
More examples""I think," said Anne to Madame de Mercœur, "we must obtain your protégée's services for our intended masque; however, I shall leave that to you young people to settle," turning to Louis as she spoke."
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French masque. Doublet of mask and mesh.
Related phrases
More for "masque"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.