noun
balaclava
bal-uh-KLAH-vuh
noun
1
A close-fitting knitted covering for the head and neck, often with an opening for the face, worn for warmth or as a disguise.
"He pulled on a balaclava before heading out to shovel snow in the freezing wind."
"The robbery suspects were seen wearing dark balaclavas on the security footage."
How to Use Balaclava
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA knitted hood covering the head and most of the face, leaving the eyes (and sometimes mouth) exposed.
Common mistake
In everyday British usage it usually means a warm winter garment; in crime reporting it's strongly associated with concealed identity.
Common pairings
wear a balaclava
a woollen balaclava
Word Forms
balaclavas plural
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He pulled on a _____ before heading out to shovel snow in the freezing wind.
Etymology
Named after Balaklava in Crimea, after British troops there during the Crimean War (1854) needed warm knitted headgear to cope with the bitter cold, and the garment took the town's name.