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

Enter the grounds of any Anantara resort in southern Thailand and the real world slips away behind an emerald jungle veil. —Jordan Riefe, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025

President Barack Obama famously negotiated a rapprochement with Cuba — later reversed by Mr. Trump — under a veil of secrecy. —Mark Landler, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025

Verb

Transfer-proof and long-lasting for 24 hours of wear, this formula is in it for the long haul: the creamy concealer works to perfect the look of skin—correcting pigmentation, veiling blemishes, and evening skin tone with just a few swipes of its doe-foot applicator. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2025

The intent is to foreground and amplify the story’s scandalous underpinnings, which, in all fairness, were loosely veiled to begin with. —The New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2025

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

Rhymes for veil

• ail
• ale
• bail
• baile
• dail
• fail
• flail
• frail
• gael
• gail
• grail
• hail

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