Library / English Dictionary

MASQUERADE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Making a false outward show

Example:

a beggar's masquerade of wealth

Synonyms:

charade; masquerade

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("masquerade" is a kind of...):

feigning; pretence; pretending; pretense; simulation (the act of giving a false appearance)

Derivation:

masquerade (pretend to be someone or something that you are not)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A costume worn as a disguise at a masquerade party

Synonyms:

fancy dress; masquerade; masquerade costume

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("masquerade" is a kind of...):

costume (the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball)

disguise (any attire that modifies the appearance in order to conceal the wearer's identity)

Meronyms (parts of "masquerade"):

domino (a loose hooded cloak worn with a half mask as part of a masquerade costume)

false face (a mask worn as part of a masquerade costume)

Derivation:

masquerade (take part in a masquerade)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A party of guests wearing costumes and masks

Synonyms:

mask; masque; masquerade; masquerade party

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("masquerade" is a kind of...):

party (a group of people gathered together for pleasure)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "masquerade"):

fancy-dress ball; masked ball; masquerade ball (a ball at which guests wear costumes and masks)

Derivation:

masquerade (take part in a masquerade)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Pretend to be someone or something that you are not

Example:

This silly novel is masquerading as a serious historical treaty

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "masquerade" is one way to...):

impersonate; personate; pose (pretend to be someone you are not; sometimes with fraudulent intentions)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

masquerade (making a false outward show)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Take part in a masquerade

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "masquerade" is one way to...):

disguise; mask (make unrecognizable)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

masquerade (a costume worn as a disguise at a masquerade party)

masquerade (a party of guests wearing costumes and masks)

masquerader (a participant in a masquerade)

Credits