Added 9 October 2026
masquerade
/ˌmæskəˈɹeɪd/ noun
Latin root: masca Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about masquerade at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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An assembly or party of people wearing (usually elaborate or fanciful) masks and costumes, and amusing themselves with dancing, conversation, or other diversions.
I was invited to the masquerade at their home.
- The act of wearing a mask or dressing up in a costume for, or as if for, a masquerade ball.
- 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.
verb
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To take part in a masquerade; to assemble in masks and costumes; to wear a disguise.
I’m going to masquerade as an old-fashioned pilot. What are you going to dress up as?
-
To pass oneself 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.
He masqueraded as my friend until the truth finally came out.
- To appear as something else.
Origin
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.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)