veil

1 of 2

noun

ˈvāl 

1

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

2

: the life of a nun

—often used in the phrase take the veil

3

: a concealing curtain or cover of cloth

4

: something that resembles a veil

a veil of stars

especially : something that hides or obscures like a veil

lift the veil of secrecy

5

: a covering body part or membrane: such as

a

: velum

b

: caul

veil

2 of 2

verb

veiled; veiling; veils

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to put on or wear a veil

Synonyms

Noun

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

Verb

• belie
• blanket
• blot out
• cloak
• conceal
• cover
• curtain
• disguise
• enshroud
• hide
• mask
• obscure
• occult
• paper over
• screen
• shroud
• suppress

Examples of veil in a Sentence

Noun

Veils of moss draped the trees.

under the veil of descending darkness the thieves began their operation

Verb

Her eyes were partially veiled by her long, dark hair.

The sun was veiled by clouds.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The brides are switched because their wedding veils conceal their identity, one of them hidden and the other deliberately hiding. —Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 13 Dec. 2024

Her clothing is all unmemorable shades of beige, gray, and cream, but her daintily white hair is cut into a bob that suggests a Tudor-era gable hood or a nun’s veil. —Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024

Verb

Then their decayed remains began to turn up in the dense national forest that surrounds Placerville, dumped behind rocks or deep in ravines veiled by towering pines. —Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024

Mary’s still mourning the loss of her son in Vietnam, and Angus has family problems that remain veiled until late in the film. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Latin vēla, plural of vēlum "sail, awning, curtain," going back to *u̯eg-s-lo-, perhaps derivative of a verbal base *u̯eg-, akin to Old Irish -fig- "weaves," Old English wēoce "wick" — more at wick entry 1

Verb

Middle English veilen, borrowed from Anglo-French veler, verbal derivative of veil veil entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing veil

• blusher veil
• humeral veil
• take the veil

Kids Definition

veil

1 of 2 noun

ˈvā(ə)l 

1

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

2

: something that covers or hides like a veil

lift the veil of secrecy

veil

2 of 2 verb

: to cover with or as if with a veil

Medical Definition

veil

noun

ˈvā(ə)l 

: a covering body part or membrane

especially : caul sense 2