grimace

Meanings

1. A contorted facial expression, often expressing contempt or pain.
2. Affectation, pretence.

1. To make grimaces; to distort one's face; to make faces.

Etymology

From French grimace, from Middle French grimace, from Old French grimace, grimuche, from grime (“mask”) (with the pejorative suffix -ace, from Latin -āceus), from Frankish *grīma, *grīmō (“mask”), from Proto-Germanic *grīmô (“mask, helmet”). Cognate with Old English grīma (“mask, visor, helmet, spectre, apparition”). More at grime.