guise

noun

1
: a form or style of dress : costume
attended the masquerade in the guise of a court jester
2
a
obsolete : manner, fashion
b
archaic : a customary way of speaking or behaving
3
a
: external appearance : semblance
The android is a machine in human guise.
b
: pretext
swindles people under the guise of friendship

Examples of guise in a Sentence

he sneaked into the castle to rescue Ivanhoe in the guise of a priest coming to give Ivanhoe his last rites she felt as though she should be wearing some sort of Germanic guise, complete with dirndl, for the fall festival featuring traditional German food and drink
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
All would come under the guise of respect for local norms. David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025 Underneath the guise of afternoon tea, though, lies a book club, which offers Eleanor, Rose and Lavinia the chance of newfound freedom. Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025 As actors reemerge in different guises, there’s a sense of déjà vu exacerbated by the film’s approach to production design. Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2025 Catering to both the young adult crowd looking ahead to their futures and melancholy millennials looking back to a bygone time, Broken Toys has the potential to land on screens in several guises. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for guise

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gise, guise, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wīsa manner — more at wise

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of guise was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guise. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

guise

noun
1
: a form or style of dress : costume
in the guise of a shepherd
2
: outer or disguised appearance : semblance
swindled people under the guise of friendship

Biographical Definition

Guise 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

ˈgēz,
also
ˈgwēz How to pronounce Guise (audio)
2nd Duc de 1519–1563 François de Lorraine French soldier and politician

Guise

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

3rd Duc de 1550–1588 Henri I de Lorraine French soldier and politician

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