Guise

How to spell guise

5 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce guise

What does guise mean?

1. nounAn external appearance or pretence, especially a false or assumed one that conceals a true intention.

Guise in a sentence

• The salesman gained entry under the guise of a building inspector.

• The new policy was simply the old tax in a different guise.

Where does guise come from?

Language of origin: French

This word came into English in the 1200s from Old French guise, meaning 'manner', 'fashion', or 'appearance'. The French form traces back to a Germanic root, reconstructed as wisa, which meant a 'way', 'manner', or 'mode of doing something'. That same ancient root gave English the familiar word 'wise' as it survives in 'likewise' and 'clockwise', where it still carries the older sense of 'manner'. Over time guise narrowed in English toward an outward appearance, and especially a false or assumed one, so that today we most often speak of doing something 'under the guise of' a respectable motive. The silent u after the g, which keeps the g hard, is a French spelling habit and is the main trap, since the word sounds exactly like the plural 'guys'.

How the word is built

• guise (from Old French guise: manner, appearance), ultimately from a Germanic root meaning 'way' or 'manner'

Words that sound like guise

They sound the same but mean different things, so the meaning decides which spelling to write.

• guys: An informal plural term for a group of men, or for a mixed group of people generally.