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Masquerade

//ˌmæskəˈɹeɪd// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An assembly or party of people wearing (usually elaborate or fanciful) masks and costumes, and amusing themselves with dancing, conversation, or other diversions. also, attributive

    "I was invited to the masquerade party at their home."

  2. 2
    making a false outward show wordnet
  3. 3
    The act of wearing a mask or dressing up in a costume for, or as if for, a masquerade ball. also, attributive
  4. 4
    a costume worn as a disguise at a masquerade party wordnet
  5. 5
    An act of living under false pretenses; a concealment of something by a false or unreal show; a disguise, a pretence; also, a pretentious display. also, attributive, figuratively

    "Verres in the youth of Cicero, Catiline and Clodius in his middle age, Mark Antony in his old age, have all been left to operate on the modern reader's feelings precisely through that masquerade of misrepresentation which invariably accompanied the political eloquence of Rome."

Show 5 more definitions
  1. 6
    a party of guests wearing costumes and masks wordnet
  2. 7
    An assembly of varied, often fanciful, things. also, attributive, figuratively
  3. 8
    A cosplay event at which costumed attendees perform skits. also, attributive, slang
  4. 9
    A dramatic performance by actors in masks; a mask or masque. also, attributive, obsolete
  5. 10
    A Spanish entertainment or military exercise in which squadrons of horses charge at each other, the riders fighting with bucklers and canes. also, attributive, obsolete, rare
Verb
  1. 1
    To take part in a masquerade; to assemble in masks and costumes; (loosely) to wear a disguise. also, attributive, intransitive

    "I’m going to masquerade as an old-fashioned pilot. What are you going to dress up as?"

  2. 2
    pretend to be someone or something that you are not wordnet
  3. 3
    To pass off as a different person or a person with qualities that one does not possess; also, to make a pretentious show of being what one is not. also, attributive, figuratively, intransitive

    "He masqueraded as my friend until the truth finally came out."

  4. 4
    take part in a masquerade wordnet
  5. 5
    To conceal (someone) with, or as if with, a mask; to disguise. also, attributive, rare, transitive

Etymology

Etymology 1

The noun is borrowed from Middle French mascarade, masquarade, masquerade (modern French mascarade (“masquerade, masque; farce”)), and its etymon Italian mascherata (“masquerade”), from maschera (“mask”) + -ata. Maschera is derived from Medieval Latin masca (“mask”): see further there. The English word is cognate with Late Latin masquarata, Portuguese mascarada, Spanish mascarada. The verb is derived from the noun.

Etymology 2

The noun is borrowed from Middle French mascarade, masquarade, masquerade (modern French mascarade (“masquerade, masque; farce”)), and its etymon Italian mascherata (“masquerade”), from maschera (“mask”) + -ata. Maschera is derived from Medieval Latin masca (“mask”): see further there. The English word is cognate with Late Latin masquarata, Portuguese mascarada, Spanish mascarada. The verb is derived from the noun.

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