Makeup
/ˈmeɪk.ʌp/noun
Cosmetics applied to the face or body, or the way something is composed or arranged.
Did you know?The cosmetic sense of “makeup” emerged in the 19th century, while theatrical makeup helped popularize the idea of deliberately constructing a visible identity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mag-
“To knead, fashion, or form; a reconstructed root associated with making and shaping.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*makōjaną
“To make, construct, or prepare.”
Old English
Old English
macian
“To make, build, prepare, or cause to happen.”
Middle English
Middle English
maken
“To make, do, create, or arrange.”
14th–17th Century
English
make up
“To complete, compose, arrange, or reconcile; the phrasal verb developed several figurative senses.”
19th Century
English
makeup
“A person’s composition or constitution; later, a cosmetic preparation or the application of cosmetics.”
Explore more surprising origins