plural noun
Coverings worn over the nose and mouth, usually for protection from disease, dust, or other harmful things.
People wear masks to protect themselves from germs.
Doctors wear masks during surgery.
American English
How to pronounce masks
noun · verbB1Common word
MAASKS
/mæsks/
One syllable.
Form of mask
Masks can be a plural noun or the third-person singular form of the verb mask.
Coverings worn over the nose and mouth, usually for protection from disease, dust, or other harmful things.
Practice out loudMeanings & examples
plural noun
Coverings for the face used as part of a costume or to hide a person's identity.
The actors put on their masks for the performance.
Some children wear masks at Halloween.
plural noun
False appearances that hide someone's real feelings or character.
Their cheerful voices are masks for their fear.
His jokes are masks for his anger.
third-person singular verb
Covers the nose and mouth with a protective covering.
The nurse masks her nose and mouth before entering the isolation room.
The worker masks his face with a cloth before sanding the wall.
Useful expressions
to place a mask over your face
Put on a mask before you go inside.
hiding your real feelings or identity
She hid her fear behind a mask of confidence.