masking
UK[ˈmɑːskɪŋ]US[ˈmæskɪŋ]
n
the act of concealing or disguising something.
n
the process of covering or protecting part of an object during a process such as painting or etching.
n
the use of a sound or stimulus to make another sound or stimulus inaudible or imperceptible.
Morpheme Breakdown
mask
ing
mask
cover
ing
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'masking' is a modern english deverbal noun formed from the verb 'mask'. the core morpheme 'mask' entered english in the 1530s from french and italian, carrying the sense of a covering for the face used for disguise or protection. its deeper ancestry is obscure but may trace to an arabic word for a buffoon or jester, linking to performance and concealment. the suffix '-ing' is a native english element used to form nouns of action. thus, 'masking' literally denotes 'the action of covering or disguising', a meaning that has extended from physical concealment to psychological, sensory, and technical processes of obscuring one thing with another.
Analysis
Structure: mask (cover) + ing (noun suffix)
mask (from middle french 'masque', from italian 'maschera', likely from medieval latin 'masca' meaning 'mask, specter', of uncertain ultimate origin, possibly arabic 'maskharah' meaning 'buffoon'); ing (from old english '-ung', '-ing', a suffix forming nouns from verbs, denoting an action or its result).
Examples
the masking of his true emotions was a skill he had mastered.
apply masking tape to the edges of the window frame before painting.
in audio engineering, a loud sound can cause the masking of a quieter one.