antimask
|an-ti-mask|
🇺🇸
/ˈæn.ti.mæsk/
🇬🇧
/ˈæn.ti.mɑːsk/
against masks
Etymology
'antimask' originates from modern English, formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') combined with 'mask' (from Old French 'masque' / Italian 'maschera').
'antimask' first appeared in hyphenated form as 'anti-mask' (notably during the early 2020s, in news and social media amid the COVID-19 pandemic) and has since also been written as the closed compound 'antimask'.
Initially, the elements simply meant 'against' + 'mask', but the compound quickly acquired specific sociopolitical senses: it denotes both people who oppose masks and an ideological/ descriptive label for actions or groups opposing mask-wearing.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who opposes wearing masks or mask mandates (especially in the context of public-health measures).
He became known as an antimask after posting videos against local mask rules.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
opposed to mask-wearing or mask mandates; describing actions, attitudes, or groups that resist masks.
Antimask demonstrations were held outside the government building.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/03 10:50