masquerade

/ˌmæskəˈɹeɪd/

//ˌmæskəˈɹeɪd// noun

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

"masquerade" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“masquerade” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #27,209. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#27,209
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An assembly or party of people wearing (usually elaborate or fanciful) masks and costumes, and amusing themselves with dancing, conversation, or other diversions.

Key facts for masquerade
PropertyValue
Headwordmasquerade
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌmæskəˈɹeɪd/
Letters10
Frequency rank#27,209
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “masquerade” 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). masquerade lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around masquerade (IPA /ˌmæskəˈɹeɪd/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #27,209 among 36,575 “M” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for masquerade, with forms such as "amsquerade", "maqsuerade", and "masqeurade". 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. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: The noun is borrowed from Middle French mascarade, masquarade, masquerade (modern French mascarade (“masquerade, masque; farce”)), and its etymon Italian mascherata (“masquerade”), from maschera (“mask”) + -ata. Maschera is derived from Medieval Latin masca… The correct English form is masquerade, spelled M-A-S-Q-U-E-R-A-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An assembly or party of people wearing (usually elaborate or fanciful) masks and costumes, and amusing themselves with dancing, conversation, or other diversions.
  2. 2
    The act of wearing a mask or dressing up in a costume for, or as if for, a masquerade ball.
  3. 3
    An act of living under false pretenses; a concealment of something by a false or unreal show; a disguise, a pretence; also, a pretentious display.
  4. 4
    An assembly of varied, often fanciful, things.
  5. 5
    A cosplay event at which costumed attendees perform skits.
  6. 6
    A dramatic performance by actors in masks; a mask or masque.
  7. 7
    A Spanish entertainment or military exercise in which squadrons of horses charge at each other, the riders fighting with bucklers and canes.

Etymology

The noun is borrowed from Middle French mascarade, masquarade, masquerade (modern French mascarade (“masquerade, masque; farce”)), and its etymon Italian mascherata (“masquerade”), from maschera (“mask”) + -ata. Maschera is derived from Medieval Latin masca (“mask”): see further there. The English word is cognate with Late Latin masquarata, Portuguese mascarada, Spanish mascarada. The verb is derived from the noun.

This word in other languages

mascarada(Español)bal masqué(Français)Maskerade(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • amsquerade
  • maqsuerade
  • masqeurade
  • masqquerade
  • masquearde
  • masqueradde
  • masqueraed
  • masquerdae
  • masquerrade
  • masqureade
  • massquerade
  • masuqerade
  • mmasquerade
  • msaquerade

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of masquerade - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

amsquerade2maqsuerade2masqeurade2masqquerade1masquearde2masqueradde1masqueraed2masquerdae2
Edit distance from "masquerade"

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 "masquerade"?
"masquerade" is spelled M-A-S-Q-U-E-R-A-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌmæskəˈɹeɪd/.
What does "masquerade" mean?
As a noun, "masquerade" means: An assembly or party of people wearing (usually elaborate or fanciful) masks and costumes, and amusing themselves with dancing, conversation, or other diversions.
What are common misspellings of "masquerade"?
Common misspellings include "amsquerade", "maqsuerade", "masqeurade", "masqquerade", "masquearde". The correct spelling is "masquerade".
How do you pronounce "masquerade"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "masquerade" is /ˌmæskəˈɹeɪd/. 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 "masquerade"?
The noun is borrowed from Middle French mascarade, masquarade, masquerade (modern French mascarade (“masquerade, masque; farce”)), and its etymon Italian mascherata (“masquerade”), from maschera (“mask”) + -ata. Maschera is derived from Medieval L... 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 “masquerade”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-S-Q-U-E-R-A-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌmæskəˈɹeɪd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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