clown white: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Specialised (Theatrical/Performance Arts), Figurative
Quick answer
What does “clown white” mean?
A thick, opaque white cosmetic greasepaint traditionally used by circus clowns and other performers to create a pale, uniform base layer on the face.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A thick, opaque white cosmetic greasepaint traditionally used by circus clowns and other performers to create a pale, uniform base layer on the face.
A professional term for the specific type of white theatrical makeup used for a classic clown's face; by extension, the act of applying this makeup. Figuratively, it can reference the adoption of a false, exaggerated, or artificial persona.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term itself is identical in form and core meaning in both varieties, as it is a technical theatrical term.
Connotations
Identical connotations of performance, artifice, and traditional circus.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in general use, but standard within the niche fields of theatre, circus, and makeup artistry in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “clown white” in a Sentence
to apply clown whitea layer of clown whiteclown white and rougeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clown white” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He will clown white his face before the show.
American English
- She needs to clown-white her face before the show.
adjective
British English
- (Not standard; use compound noun or 'clown-white' hyphenated) The clown-white base was applied thickly.
American English
- (Not standard; use compound noun or 'clown-white' hyphenated) He had a clown-white complexion under the lights.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in studies of performance history, costume, and theatrical practice.
Everyday
Rare, except when discussing costume, makeup, or in figurative/metaphorical speech.
Technical
Standard term in professional theatre, circus, and makeup artistry for that specific product.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “clown white”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “clown white”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clown white”
- Using 'clown white' as an adjective (e.g., 'a clown-white face' is possible but non-standard; prefer 'a face covered in clown white').
- Capitalising it as a proper name.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes, but it is also used by other performance artists like mimes, pierrots, and some actors needing a stark white base.
Incorrectly, yes, but precisely it refers to a specific type of opaque, greasy theatrical makeup, not water-based face paints.
Informally and rarely, it can be verbed (e.g., 'to clown-white one's face'), but the standard phrase is 'to apply clown white'.
'Greasepaint' is the general category of oily theatrical makeup. 'Clown white' is a specific type of greasepaint: the white base colour.
A thick, opaque white cosmetic greasepaint traditionally used by circus clowns and other performers to create a pale, uniform base layer on the face.
Clown white is usually specialised (theatrical/performance arts), figurative in register.
Clown white: in British English it is pronounced /ˈklaʊn ˌwaɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈklaʊn ˌ(h)waɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Behind the clown white (suggests a hidden reality)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a clown's face: the big WHITE base is the 'CLOWN WHITE', as essential as a blank canvas.
Conceptual Metaphor
MAKEUP IS A MASK; ADOPTING A ROLE IS APPLYING PAINT.
Practice
Quiz
In a figurative sense, what does 'putting on the clown white' most likely mean?