French word

déguiser

Pronunciation

IPA/degize/

Meaning

  • verbdress up

Example

Pour la fête, elle va se déguiser.

For the party, she is going to dress up.

Illustration for déguiser (dress up)

More examples

Il a déguisé son frère en clown pour la surprise.

He disguised his brother as a clown for the surprise.

Core concept

A person changes clothes, makeup, or manner to appear as someone or something else.

Common phrases

  • se déguiser en

    disguise oneself as

  • déguiser quelqu'un

    disguise someone

Similar words

se déguiser: To alter one's appearance with clothes, makeup, or props and take on another identity.
se maquiller: To put on makeup to change the appearance of one's own face.
maquiller: To put makeup on another person to change the appearance of their face.

Definition in French

Modifier volontairement son apparence ou celle d'une personne pour la faire ressembler à quelqu'un ou quelque chose d'autre.

Word origin

Déguiser comes from Old French desguiser, formed with des- and guise, a Germanic-origin word for appearance or manner, and it developed the sense of altering an appearance.

Usage tips

  • The reflexive se déguiser means to disguise oneself, while déguiser quelqu'un means to disguise someone else.

Other meanings

  • disguiseverb
  • camouflageverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word