veil

Veil is a piece of thin fabric worn over the head or face. It can be used for clothing, religious practice, weddings, mourning, or to partly hide someone’s identity.

It can also be figurative: a veil is anything that conceals or makes something less clear—for example, “a veil of secrecy.”

Synonyms: covering, head covering, mask, shroud, curtain. In figurative use: concealment, disguise, secrecy.

Background: The word comes through Old French from Latin vēlum, meaning a cloth, covering, or sail.

1. She wore a veil at her wedding.
   She wore a face covering made of thin fabric at her wedding.
2. The bride lifted her veil before the ceremony.
   The bride raised her thin face covering before the ceremony.
3. A veil of fog covered the road.
   A thin layer of fog covered the road.
4. The company kept its plans behind a veil of secrecy.
   The company kept its plans hidden by secrecy.
5. He tried to veil his disappointment with a smile.
   He tried to hide his disappointment with a smile.