MASQUERADE, an assembly of persons masked or disguised, who meet to dance and divert themselves. This was once much in use with us, and has been long a common practice abroad, especially in carnival time. The word comes from the Italian mascarata, and that from the Arabic mascara, which signifies raillery or buffoonery. Granacci, who died in the year 1543, is said to have been the inventor of masquerades.