guise

noun

ˈgīz 

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

c

: a variation on something

the same basic recipe in a different guise

Synonyms of guise

• pretense
• facade
• show
• act
• pose

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

The abuse included groping and fondling of the students’ genitals and other acts under the guise of a medical examination. —CNN Money, 4 June 2026

The abuse included groping and fondling of the students' genitals and other acts under the guise of a medical examination. —Jasper Ward, USA Today, 4 June 2026

Boston, the lone plaintiff in the lawsuit, asserted that the measure violates the state and federal constitutions and targets Democratic strongholds under the guise of taking politics out of those elections. —ABC News, 3 June 2026

Exteriority is brought to the fore, and Liden’s appearance—that quiet guise of androgynous anonymity—grants her a particular freedom of movement that extends to the beholder. —Erika Landström, Artforum, 2 June 2026

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

Phrases Containing guise

• in the guise of
• under the guise of

Rhymes for guise

• ais
• ayes
• buys
• cries
• dies
• dries
• dyes
• eyes
• flies
• fries
• grise
• guys

Kids Definition

guise

noun

ˈgīz 

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