veil

[veyl]

noun

1. a piece of opaque or transparent material worn over the face for concealment, for protection from the elements, or to enhance the appearance.

2. a piece of material worn so as to fall over the head and shoulders on each side of the face, forming a part of the headdress of a nun.

3. the life of a nun, especially a cloistered life.

4. something that covers, separates, screens, or conceals.

   a veil of smoke; the veil of death.

5. a mask, disguise, or pretense.

   to find fault under a veil of humor.

6. Botany, Anatomy, Zoology.,  a velum.

7. Mycology.,  a membrane that covers the immature mushroom of many fungi and breaks apart as the mushroom expands, leaving distinctive remnants on the cap, stalk, or stalk base.

8. Scot. and North England.,  a caul.

verb (used with object)

1. to cover or conceal with or as with a veil.

   She veiled her face in black. A heavy fog veiled the shoreline.

2. to hide the real nature of; mask; disguise.

   to veil one's intentions.

verb (used without object)

1. to don or wear a veil.

   In certain Islamic countries women must veil.

veil

¹

/ veɪl /

noun

1. a piece of more or less transparent material, usually attached to a hat or headdress, used to conceal or protect a woman's face and head

2. part of a nun's headdress falling round the face onto the shoulders

3. something that covers, conceals, or separates; mask

   a veil of reticence

4. the life of a nun in a religious order and the obligations entailed by it

5. to become a nun

6. Also called: velum. botany a membranous structure, esp the thin layer of cells connecting the edge of a young mushroom cap with the stipe

7. anatomy another word for caul

8. See humeral veil

verb

1. (tr) to cover, conceal, or separate with or as if with a veil

2. (intr) to wear or put on a veil

Veil

²

/ vaɪl /

noun

1. Simone ( Annie ) (simɔn). born 1927, French stateswoman; president of the European Parliament (1979–82): a survivor of Nazi concentration camps

veil

1. A membranous covering or part, especially a membrane surrounding the young mushrooms of certain basidiomycete fungi. In some species the membrane (called a partial veil) extends only from the stalk to the cap. As the cap expands, the veil breaks, leaving a ring called an annulus on the stalk and often scalelike pieces on the cap. These veil remnants are important for identifying species of mushrooms.

Other Word Forms

• veilless adjective
• veillike adjective
• veiler noun
• veil-like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of veil¹

1175–1225; (noun) Middle English veile < Anglo-French < Latin vēla, neuter plural (taken in VL as feminine singular) of vēlum covering; (v.) Middle English veilen < Anglo-French veiler, derivative of veile

Word History and Origins

Origin of veil¹

C13: from Norman French veile, from Latin vēla sails, pl of vēlum a covering

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. take the veil, to become a nun.

see draw a veil over.

Example Sentences

Remove the veil of folklore, and the plot isn’t too different from Oliphant’s career as an unrestrained cartoonist, whose satirical illustrations drew the ire of power-hungry politicians and like-minded megalomaniacs all over the world.

From Salon

For a while it looked as if the eclipse would be veiled by cloud and rain across the UK but now it's likely that many of us will have clear skies.

From BBC

Moretz posted photos of herself on Instagram rocking a baby blue gown along with images of Harrison wearing a white dress with a sweetheart neckline and a birdcage veil.

From Los Angeles Times

The crowd’s alternative style was imbued with Latin flair: Latinos in black vaquero boots clicked their heels against the concrete, while lace veils flowed above their carefully teased hair.

From Los Angeles Times

"The veil dragged across the floor, the fabric was heavy, and people kept saying: 'Wow… a beautiful black queen.'"

From BBC

Related Words

• cloak 
• curtain 
• mask 
• shroud