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veil

Pronunciation: /veɪl/

The English word “veil” has 12 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. Something hung up or spread out to hide or protect the face, or hide an object from view; usually of gauze, crepe, or similar diaphanous material.
  2. Anything that partially obscures a clear view.
  3. A cover; disguise; a mask; a pretense.
  4. A covering for a person or thing; as, a caul (especially over the head)
  5. The calyptra of mosses.
  6. velum (A circular membrane round the cap of a medusa).
  7. A thin layer of tissue which is attached to or covers a mushroom.
  8. A membrane connecting the margin of the pileus of a mushroom with the stalk; a velum.
  9. An obscuration of the clearness of the tones in pronunciation.
  10. That which separates the living and the spirit world.

verb

  1. To dress in, or decorate with, a veil.
  2. To conceal as with a veil.

Etymology

From Middle English veil, veyl, from Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French veil (“sail, veil, shroud”) (Francien Old French voil, French voile), Latin vēlum (“cloth, covering”). Displaced Middle English scleire, scleyre, sleyre, slyre (“veil”) (compare German Schleier). Doublet of velum and voile.

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