disguise
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: //dɪsˈɡaɪz//
KK: /dɪsˈɡaɪz/
noun
Definition
A way of changing one's appearance or identity to hide who you really are or to pretend to be someone else.
Example
She wore a mask as a disguise to hide her identity at the party.
Conversation
Did you see the magician's trick last night?
Yeah, it was amazing! The disguise he used was so clever.
I wonder how he managed to pull it off without anyone noticing.
Right? It makes me think about how we often wear a disguise in our daily lives.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
mask
cloak
guise
Antonyms
reveal
exposure
disclosure
transitive verb
Definition
To change someone's appearance or the way something looks so that it is not recognized.
Example
She wore a mask to disguise her identity at the party.
Tense Forms
Past: disguised
Past Participle: disguised
Conversation
Did you see the magician at the party last night?
Yeah, he was amazing! I loved how he could disguise his tricks.
Exactly! It was so clever how he made things appear and disappear.
Root Explanation
Disguise is formed from "dis-" (meaning apart) and "guise" (from Old French *guise*, meaning manner or appearance). The word refers to the act of changing one's appearance or manner to conceal identity or true nature.
Memory Tip
Think of 'dis-' meaning apart and 'guise' referring to manner or appearance — this helps you remember that to disguise means to change one's appearance to hide who they really are.
Visually Confused Words
undisguise
disuse
undisguised
predisguise