Guising
/ˈɡaɪzɪŋ/noun
The practice of disguising oneself, especially for Halloween or similar festivities.
Did you know?The word is historically tied to *guise*, which came into English through Old French from a Germanic root meaning “to show or appear,” so the idea of a hidden self sits right inside the word’s ancestry.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wīsaz
“known, aware, wise”
Old French
OF
guise
“manner, way, appearance”
Middle English
ME
gise
“manner, fashion, appearance”
Late Middle English
English
guisen
“to dress or behave in a certain way; to disguise”
Modern English
English
guising
“the act or practice of disguising oneself, especially for seasonal visiting”