mask

/mɑːsk/

//mɑːsk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"mask" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“mask” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,251 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,251
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A cover, or partial cover, for the face, used for disguise or protection.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

mask vs MS
0% similar
mask vs MK
0% similar
mask vs may
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for mask
PropertyValue
Headwordmask
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/mɑːsk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#4,251
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mask” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). mask lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for mask is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /mɑːsk/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,251 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for mask, with forms such as "amsk", "maks", and "maskk". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "MS", "MK", "may", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French masque (“a covering to hide or protect the face”), from Italian maschera (“mask, disguise”), from (a byform of, see it for more) Medieval Latin masca, mascha, a borrowing of Proto-West Germanic *maskā, from which English mesh and… The correct English form is mask, spelled M-A-S-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A cover, or partial cover, for the face, used for disguise or protection.
  2. 2
    That which disguises; a pretext or subterfuge.
  3. 3
    Appearance, likeness.
  4. 4
    A festive entertainment of dancing or other diversions, where all wear masks; a masquerade.
  5. 5
    A person wearing a mask.
  6. 6
    A dramatic performance in which the actors wore masks and represented mythical or allegorical characters.
  7. 7
    A grotesque head or face, used to adorn keystones and other prominent parts, to spout water in fountains, and the like.
  8. 8
    In a permanent fortification, a redoubt which protects the caponiere.
  9. 9
    A screen for a battery.
  10. 10
    The lower lip of the larva of a dragonfly, modified so as to form a prehensile organ.
  11. 11
    A flat covering used to block off an unwanted portion of a scene or image.
  12. 12
    A pattern of bits used in bitwise operations; bitmask.
  13. 13
    A two-color (black and white) bitmap generated from an image, used to create transparency in the image.
  14. 14
    The head of a fox, shown face-on and cut off immediately behind the ears.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French masque (“a covering to hide or protect the face”), from Italian maschera (“mask, disguise”), from (a byform of, see it for more) Medieval Latin masca, mascha, a borrowing of Proto-West Germanic *maskā, from which English mesh and mask (“mesh”) (below at Etymology 2) are inherited. Doublet of masque and mesh. Replaced Old English grīma (“mask”), whence grime, and displaced non-native Middle English viser (“visor, mask”) borrowed from Old French viser, visier.

Synonyms

vizard

This word in other languages

máscara(Español)masque(Français)Maske(Deutsch)máscara(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: amsk,maks,maskk,massk,mmask,msak

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of mask - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

amsk2maks2maskk1massk1mmask1msak2
Edit distance from "mask"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "mask"?
"mask" is spelled M-A-S-K. The IPA pronunciation is /mɑːsk/.
What does "mask" mean?
As a noun, "mask" means: A cover, or partial cover, for the face, used for disguise or protection.
What words are commonly confused with "mask"?
"mask" is commonly confused with "MS", "MK", "may". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mask"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mask" is /mɑːsk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "mask"?
Borrowed from Middle French masque (“a covering to hide or protect the face”), from Italian maschera (“mask, disguise”), from (a byform of, see it for more) Medieval Latin masca, mascha, a borrowing of Proto-West Germanic *maskā, from which Englis... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “mask”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-S-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /mɑːsk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “MS” - see the side-by-side comparison. mask vs MS
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list