war-paint
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Evening dress. When people go out in full costume they are often said to have their WAR-PAINT on. Also, military "full-fig."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “war-paint” mean?
Evening dress. When people go out in full costume they are often said to have their WAR-PAINT on. Also, military "full-fig."
Is “war-paint” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.