veil

Veil is a piece of lightweight fabric or other material worn to cover the face or head, or used to obscure or protect something. Traditional veils are crafted from materials such as tulle, lace, chiffon, or silk, and can be sheer or opaque. Veils vary in length and style, from birdcage to elbow, fingertip, cathedral, and chapel lengths, and may be edged with lace, beading, or embroidery. They function for modesty, ceremony, fashion, or protection from the elements.

Across cultures, veils carry symbolic meanings. In Western wedding traditions, a bridal veil is worn to cover the face prior to the kiss, symbolizing transition or modesty. In Jewish practice, the badeken is the ceremony in which the groom or family covers the bride’s face with a veil. In many Christian, Hindu, and Muslim communities, veils or head coverings are used as religious or cultural garments; practices and interpretations vary widely, and many people wear veils as personal expression.

Historically, veils appear in ancient civilizations and persist in various forms through the medieval and early-modern periods. They evolved from practical head coverings to fashion items and social symbols, prominent in aristocratic and bridal attire, and have been adapted for theatrical and ceremonial uses in art and film.

Metaphorically, the term veil is used to describe anything that conceals or separates, such as a veil of secrecy or the idea of a veil between the living and the dead. In astronomy, the Veil Nebula refers to a nearby supernova remnant with filamentary structures in the Cygnus constellation.