guise

noun

1
: a form or style of dress : costume
attended the masquerade in the guise of a court jester
2
a
obsolete : manner, fashion
b
archaic : a customary way of speaking or behaving
3
a
: external appearance : semblance
The android is a machine in human guise.
b
: pretext
swindles people under the guise of friendship

Examples of guise in a Sentence

he sneaked into the castle to rescue Ivanhoe in the guise of a priest coming to give Ivanhoe his last rites she felt as though she should be wearing some sort of Germanic guise, complete with dirndl, for the fall festival featuring traditional German food and drink
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In this guise, an already stylish vehicle more sophisticated than ever. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 21 Jan. 2025 In its most recent guise, the company, which no longer has stores of its own, has made a return to the high street, re-emerging in 2021 through a deal with perennial brand collaborator and U.K. apparel powerhouse Next. Mark Faithfull, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025 In this current guise, City look incapable of stringing even two together. Mark Critchley, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024 Wearing a brown knit cardigan, Beetlejuice takes on the guise of a couples therapist. Emma Fraser, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for guise 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gise, guise, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wīsa manner — more at wise

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of guise was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near guise

Cite this Entry

“Guise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guise. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

guise

noun
1
: a form or style of dress : costume
in the guise of a shepherd
2
: outer or disguised appearance : semblance
swindled people under the guise of friendship

Biographical Definition

Guise 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

ˈgēz,
also
ˈgwēz How to pronounce Guise (audio)
2nd Duc de 1519–1563 François de Lorraine French soldier and politician

Guise

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

3rd Duc de 1550–1588 Henri I de Lorraine French soldier and politician

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