Definitions
01face covering
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. something you wear over your face to hide who you are or to keep you safe from germs or smoke.
n. a covering for all or part of the face, worn for protection, disguise, or ritual purposes.
日本語:マスク※
“The doctor wore a surgical mask to protect the patient during the operation.”
“The museum displayed a collection of ancient ritual masks carved from cedar and decorated with intricate shell inlays.”
Usage
Usually a countable noun.
02to hide or cover
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to hide a feeling, a smell, or a fact so that other people do not notice it.
v. to conceal or disguise a sensation, emotion, or physical object by covering it with something else.
“She tried to mask her disappointment with a forced smile.”
“The strong scent of garlic in the sauce was intended to mask the slightly bitter taste of the herbs.”
Usage
Transitive; always takes a direct object.
03social adaptation
C1 · Advanced Technical
v. to hide your natural personality or traits to fit in with other people, often used by neurodivergent people.
v. to consciously or unconsciously suppress natural behaviors or traits to appear neurotypical in social situations.
“Many autistic people find it exhausting to mask their true selves all day at work.”
“The study explored how social masking contributes to burnout among neurodivergent adults in high-pressure environments.”
Teaching tip
This is a modern psychological sense that has become very common in discussions about neurodiversity.
Synonyms
Antonyms
04to brew tea
C2 · Proficiency British English · Dialect
v. to make tea by letting it sit in hot water.
v. to infuse or steep tea leaves in a teapot.
“Wait a few minutes for the tea to mask before you pour it.”
“In some northern regions, you might hear someone ask if the tea has finished masking yet.”
Teaching tip
This is highly regional to Northern England and Scotland; most learners should use 'brew' or 'steep' instead.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “mask” in context.
Verb
01. drop the mask
“After months of pretending to be his friend, he finally dropped the mask and revealed his true intentions.”
verb + noun
02. slip on a mask
“Before entering the operating room, the surgeon carefully slipped on a surgical mask.”
verb + prep + noun
03. wear a mask of indifference
“Despite her internal panic, she managed to wear a mask of indifference during the negotiation.”
verb + noun + of + noun
Adjective
04. impenetrable mask
“His face was an impenetrable mask that gave no hint of what he was thinking.”
adj + noun
05. thin mask
“His polite smile was merely a thin mask for his growing irritation.”
adj + noun
Preposition
06. behind a mask
“She hid her deep sorrow behind a mask of cheerful optimism.”
prep + noun
07. under the mask of friendship
“He gathered sensitive information under the mask of friendship.”
prep + noun + prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“We have to then put on a tight-fitting mask and a full gown until you know whether it is or isn’t.” “He used a borrowed welder's mask having thought it would provide protection from the sun's rays.” “In Wales £18m was spent on unused PPE and in Northern Ireland £43m of masks, gowns and gloves were at risk of expiry before they could be used.” Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French masque (“a covering to hide or protect the face”), from Italian maschera (“mask, disguise”), from (a byform of, see it for more) Medieval Latin masca, mascha, a borrowing of Proto-West Germanic *maskā, from which English mesh and mask (“mesh”) (below at Etymology 2) are inherited. Doublet of masque and mesh. Replaced Old English grīma (“mask”), whence grime, and displaced non-native Middle English viser (“visor, mask”) borrowed from Old French viser, visier.
From Middle English maske, from Old English max, masċ (“net”), from Proto-West Germanic *maskā (“mesh, netting, mask”). Doublet of mesh and mask above.
From Middle English *mask, masch, from Old English māx, māsc (“mash”). Doublet of mash.
From Middle English masken, short for *maskeren, malskren (“to bewilder; be confused, wander”). More at masker.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
The word in film
The Mask · 1994 · Action
- Starring:
- Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Blake Clark
Jim Carrey stars in this 1990s comedy about a shy bank clerk who finds a magical object that covers his face. When he puts it on, he transforms into a wild, green-faced superhero with incredible powers.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/mask
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR