1. a form of festive courtly entertainment featuring music, dancing, and elaborate costumes, popular in 16th and 17th century England
Usage: historical; literary
2. a masquerade ball or costume party
Usage: formal

Examples

• Shakespeare wrote several masques for the royal court.
• The elaborate masque featured mythological characters and ornate sets.
• Ben Jonson was famous for his court masques during the Jacobean era.
• The wealthy family hosted an annual masque in their ballroom.
• Guests wore elaborate masks and costumes to the masque.
• The masque combined poetry, music, and dance into a single performance.