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Masquerade vs Pageant - What's the difference?

masquerade | pageant |

As nouns the difference between masquerade and pageant

is that masquerade is a party or assembly of people wearing masks, and amusing themselves with dancing, conversation, or other diversions while pageant is an elaborate public display, especially a parade in historical or traditional costume.

As verbs the difference between masquerade and pageant

is that masquerade is to assemble in masks; to take part in a masquerade while pageant is to exhibit in show; to represent; to mimic.

masquerade

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A party or assembly of people wearing masks, and amusing themselves with dancing, conversation, or other diversions.
  • In courtly balls and midnight masquerades -
  • (obsolete) A dramatic performance by actors in masks; a mask. See “mask”
  • Acting or living under false pretenses; concealment of something by a false or unreal show; pretentious show; disguise.
  • I was invited to the masquerade at their home.
    That masquerade of misrepresentation which invariably accompanied the political eloquence of Rome -
  • (archaic) A Spanish entertainment in which squadrons of horses charge at each other, the riders fighting with bucklers and canes.
  • See also

    * costume party

    Verb

  • To assemble in masks; to take part in a masquerade.
  • I'm going to masquerade as the wikipede. What are you going to dress up as?
  • To frolic or disport in disguise; to make a pretentious show of being what one is not.
  • He masqueraded as my friend until the truth finally came out.
    A freak took an ass in the head, and he goes into the woods, masquerading up and down in a lion's skin -
  • To conceal with masks; to disguise.
  • To masquerade vice - Killingbeck

    pageant

    Alternative forms

    * pageaunt (obsolete)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An elaborate public display, especially a parade in historical or traditional costume.
  • A spectacular ceremony.
  • A beauty pageant.
  • Synonyms

    * (elaborate public display) spectacle * (beauty pageant) beauty pageant

    Derived terms

    * pageantry * beauty pageant

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To exhibit in show; to represent; to mimic.
  • * Shakespeare
  • He pageants us.