# guise

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɡaɪz/ · frequency rank #15,625

## Definitions
1. A customary way of speaking or acting; a fashion, a manner, a practice (often used formerly in such phrases as "at his own guise"; that is, in his own fashion, to suit himself.)
2. An external appearance in manner or dress; an appropriate indication or expression; a garb; a shape.
3. A misleading appearance; a cover, a cloak.

## Etymology
From Middle English guise, gise, gyse, from Old French guisse, guise, vise (“guise, manner, way”), from Old Frankish *wīsa (“manner, way, fashion”), from Proto-Germanic *wīsǭ (“manner, way”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to see, view, behold, perceive”). Cognate with Old High German wīsa (“way, manner”), Old English wīse (“way, manner”), Dutch wijze (“way, manner”). More at wise.

## Easily confused with
- **Gus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guise-vs-gus)
- **guys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guise-vs-guys)
- **guns** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guise-vs-guns)
- **guts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guise-vs-guts)
- **gums** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guise-vs-gums)
- **gust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guise-vs-gust)
- **gush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guise-vs-gush)
- **gutsy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guise-vs-gutsy)
- **GUI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gui-vs-guise)
- **give** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/give-vs-guise)
- **gist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gist-vs-guise)
- **GCSE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gcse-vs-guise)
- **guess** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guess-vs-guise)
- **guide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guide-vs-guise)
- **guest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guest-vs-guise)
- **guilt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guilt-vs-guise)
- **guild** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guild-vs-guise)
- **goose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goose-vs-guise)
- **geese** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/geese-vs-guise)
- **glide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glide-vs-guise)

## Common misspellings (6)
`gguise`, `giuse`, `guies`, `guisse`, `gusie`, `ugise`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/guise