noun
mascara
muh-SKAH-ruh
noun
1
A cosmetic applied to darken and thicken the eyelashes.
"She swept a coat of mascara over her lashes before the interview."
"Her mascara had smudged after crying at the film."
verb
1
To apply mascara to the eyelashes.
"She mascaraed her lashes quickly before running out the door."
How to Use Mascara
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEyelash makeup — also the name of an Algerian city, unrelated in meaning.
Common pairings
waterproof mascara
a coat of mascara
smudged mascara
Word Forms
mascaraed past tense, mascaras plural, mascaras singular
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Etymology
From Italian maschera, "mask."