mummer

Mummer in a parade

Meanings

A person who dons a disguising costume, as for a parade or a festival.
An actor in a pantomime; one who communicates entirely through gesture and facial expression.

From Middle English mummer, mommer, equivalent to mum + -er, perhaps conflating with Old French momeor, from mommer, from momon. Compare German Mumme ("mask"), 16th Century German mummen, Middle Dutch mommen, mummen, Middle Low Saxon mommen, Dutch mom and mimmen as well as Spanish momo.
Perhaps both of the conflated terms are from the same ultimate root, as note Middle Low Saxon mummen, Dutch mommen, German mummen, English mump.

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