Guiser
/ˈɡaɪzər/noun
A person who wears a disguise or, in some traditions, a mummer or masquerader.
Did you know?In Scottish and related folk traditions, a guiser was often a masked performer who went door to door, turning disguise into a ritualized social spell.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
ME
guiser
“a person in disguise; a masker or mummer”
Old French
OF
guise
“manner, fashion, way of doing something; also appearance”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wīsō / *wīsaz
“appearance, way, manner (ultimately the source of the French borrowing via Germanic influence)”
Modern English
English
guise
“outward appearance or semblance, especially when concealing the true nature”
Modern English
English
guiser
“a person who disguises themselves, especially for performance or seasonal custom”