¹veil

noun \ˈvāl\

: a piece of cloth or net worn usually by women over the head and shoulders and sometimes over the face

: something that covers or hides something else

Full Definition of VEIL

a : a length of cloth worn by women as a covering for the head and shoulders and often especially in Eastern countries for the face; specifically : the outer covering of a nun's headdress

b : a length of veiling or netting worn over the head or face or attached for protection or ornament to a hat or headdress <a bridal veil>

c : any of various liturgical cloths; especially : a cloth used to cover the chalice

: the life of a nun —often used in the phrase take the veil

: a concealing curtain or cover of cloth

: something that resembles a veil <a veil of stars>; especially : something that hides or obscures like a veil <lift the veil of secrecy>

: a covering body part or membrane: as

a : velum

b : caul

See veil defined for English-language learners

See veil defined for kids

Origin of VEIL

Middle English, from Anglo-French veil, veille, from Latin vela, plural of velum sail, awning, curtain

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to VEIL

Synonyms: blanket, cope, cover, covering, coverture, cover-up, curtain, hood, mantle, mask, pall, penumbra, robe, shroud, cloak, wraps

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

Rhymes with VEIL

ail, ale, bail, bale, Bâle, brail, braille, Braille, dale, fail, flail, frail, Gael, gale, Gale, grail, hail, hale, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, pail, pale, quail, Quayle, rail, sail, sale, scale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tael, tail, taille, tale, trail, vail, vale, wail, wale, whale, Yale

²veil

verb

: to cover (something) with a veil or with something that is like a veil : to hide or partly hide (something)

Full Definition of VEIL

transitive verb

: to cover, provide, obscure, or conceal with or as if with a veil

intransitive verb

: to put on or wear a veil

See veil defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of VEIL

14th century

Related to VEIL

Synonyms: belie, blanket, blot out, cloak, conceal, cover, curtain, disguise, enshroud, mask, obscure, occult, paper over, screen, shroud, suppress, ¹hide

Antonyms: bare, disclose, display, divulge, expose, reveal, show, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

VEIL Defined for Kids

¹veil

noun \ˈvāl\

Definition of VEIL for Kids

: a piece of cloth or net worn usually by women over the head and shoulders and sometimes over the face

: something that covers or hides like a veil <a veil of secrecy> <Her hazel eyes, under their veil of long lashes, had a greenish flash to them. — Esther Forbes, Johnny Tremain>