death mask
C1-C2Formal, Academic, Historical, Technical (Archaeology/Art History).
Definition
Meaning
A cast taken from a person's face shortly after death, typically made of plaster or wax.
A representation of a face, often in a still or rigid state, reminiscent of such a cast; metaphorically, a face or expression that is unnaturally still, pale, or lacking life.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term denotes a physical artefact with historical, artistic, or memorial significance. The metaphorical usage ('a face like a death mask') carries strong negative connotations of lifelessness or horror.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The term is used identically.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties: historical artefact, mortality, preservation, sometimes morbidity.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialized in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [archaeologist] discovered a [plaster] death mask.Her face was [as still/as pale] as a death mask.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(one's face) like a death mask”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in archaeology, art history, anthropology, and history to describe artefacts.
Everyday
Rare; used metaphorically ('He was so shocked, his face was like a death mask') or in discussions of museums/history.
Technical
Specific term in archaeology and museology for a type of funerary artefact.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We saw a death mask in the history museum.
- The museum's most fascinating exhibit was the ancient death mask of a pharaoh.
- After the accident, his face was pale and still, like a death mask.
- Scholars analysed the plaster death mask to reconstruct the monarch's likely appearance.
- The poet described the frozen landscape as wearing the death mask of winter.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a MASK taken from someone at DEATH to remember their face.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMMOBILITY IS DEATH ('face frozen like a death mask'), THE PAST IS A PHYSICAL OBJECT ('a death mask from the 18th century').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'мертвая маска'. The standard Russian equivalent is 'посмертная маска'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'death mask' to mean a mask *worn by* someone who is dead (it is a cast *of* them).
- Confusing with 'life mask' (a cast taken from a living person).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of a traditional death mask?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A death mask is made after death; a life mask is a cast taken from the face of a living person.
The practice is very rare in modern times, largely replaced by photography. It is now primarily a historical or artistic technique.
Yes, it is commonly used to describe a face that is extremely pale, rigid, or expressionless, as if lifeless.
Historically, they were most commonly made from plaster or wax. Precious metals like gold were used for royalty, as in Tutankhamun's mask (though this is a funerary mask, not a cast).