What does mascara mean?
Mascara is a cosmetic substance applied to the eyelashes, usually with a small brush or wand. It makes eyelashes look darker, longer, fuller, or more clearly defined, and is most often black, although brown, grey, and other colours are also available. The word can refer either to the makeup itself or to a particular product, as in "She bought a new mascara." Waterproof and lengthening mascaras are widely used, and fresh mascara is commonly applied after the eye makeup beneath it has been completed. In everyday language, mascara is usually treated as a mass noun, so speakers say "a tube of mascara" or "a coat of mascara" rather than routinely using a plural. Its modern cosmetic sense developed from the Italian word for a mask or disguise, a fittingly indirect origin for a product that enhances the eyes rather than covering them.
nounA cosmetic substance, usually black, applied to the eyelashes to darken them, lengthen their appearance, and sometimes make them fuller or more defined.
- A cosmetic product applied to the eyelashes to darken them and make them appear longer, fuller, or more defined.
"She applied a generous coat of mascara before leaving the house."
"He was careful not to get mascara on his white shirt."
"The stage lights were harsh, so she refreshed her mascara backstage."
The plural is uncommon because mascara is normally treated as a mass noun; it may be used when referring to several separate products or types.
"The shop sells several brands of waterproof mascaras."
Mascara takes its name from the Italian word for a mask, though it now brightens rather than conceals the eyes.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of mascara
The English word comes from Italian, where "mascara" is associated with masking or disguising the face. It entered English in the late nineteenth century as a name for a cosmetic preparation used to darken the eyelashes. Its name reflects the idea of a mask because the product covers or darkens the lashes. The Italian word is related to forms such as "mask," "masquerade," and "disguise," which share a history of concealment and false appearance.
How mascara is actually used
The word is normally uncountable when referring to the cosmetic substance. The plural "mascaras" is possible when referring to separate products, but it is rarely needed in ordinary use.