masquerade

Etymology

From French mascarade (Spanish mascarada), from Italian mascarata (mascherata). See “mask”.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪd

Noun

masquerade (plural masquerades)

1. A party or assembly of people wearing masks, and amusing themselves with dancing, conversation, or other diversions.

   In courtly balls and midnight masquerades - Alexander Pope

2. (fandom slang) A cosplay event at which costumed attendees perform skits on a stage.
3. (obsolete) A dramatic performance by actors in masks; a mask. See “mask”
4. Acting or living under false pretenses; concealment of something by a false or unreal show; pretentious show; disguise.

   I was invited to the masquerade at their home.

   That masquerade of misrepresentation which invariably accompanied the political eloquence of Rome - Thomas de Quincey

5. (archaic) A Spanish entertainment in which squadrons of horses charge at each other, the riders fighting with bucklers and canes.

Verb

masquerade (third-person singular simple present masquerades, present participle masquerading, simple past and past participle masqueraded)

1. (intransitive) To assemble in masks; to take part in a masquerade.

   I'm going to masquerade as the wikipede. What are you going to dress up as?

2. (intransitive) To frolic or disport in disguise; to make a pretentious show of being what one is not.

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

   A freak took an ass in the head, and he goes into the woods, masquerading up and down in a lion's skin - Roger L'Estrange

3. (transitive) To conceal with masks; to disguise.
   • Killingbeck

     to masquerade vice