Veil vs. Velum — What's the Difference?

A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies.

(Biology) A covering or partition of thin membranous tissue, such as the veil of a mushroom, a rim of tissue around the margin of the bell of certain cnidarians, or a membrane of the brain.

A length of cloth worn over the head, shoulders, and often the face, especially by women.

(Anatomy) The soft palate.

A length of netting attached to a woman's hat or hair worn for decoration or to protect the head and face.

(Zoology) A ciliated swimming and feeding organ that develops in certain larval stages of most gastropod and bivalve mollusks.

A length of protective netting worn over the face by beekeepers.

A thin membrane resembling a veil or curtain, such as:

The part of a nun's headdress that frames the face and falls over the shoulders.

(anatomy) the soft palate

The life or vows of a nun

(botany) a thin membrane partially covering the cluster of sporangia near the leaf base in quillworts and their extinct relatives

Any of various cloth head coverings worn by Muslim women.

(mycology) a veil-like membrane of immature mushrooms extending from the margin of the cap to the stem and is torn by growth, to reveal the gills

A piece of light fabric hung to separate or conceal what is behind it; a curtain.

(malacology) a locomotory and feeding organ provided with cilia found in the larval stage of bivalves

Something that conceals, separates, or screens like a curtain

(zoology) a annular membrane, typically bordering a cavity, especially in certain molluscs, medusae, and other invertebrates

(Biology) A membranous covering or part, as that on the developing fruiting body of certain mushrooms; a velum.

A delicate membrane found on certain protists

To cover with or as if with a veil

(meteorology) an accessory cloud resembling a veil extending over a large distance; normally associated with cumulus and cumulonimbus

To conceal or disguise

A curtain or covering; - applied to various membranous partitions, especially to the soft palate. See under Palate.

To wear a veil.

A veil-like organ or part.

Something hung up or spread out to hide or protect the face, or hide an object from view; usually of gauze, crepe, or similar diaphanous material.

Membrane of the young sporophore of various mushrooms extending from the margin of the cap to the stem and is ruptured by growth; represented in mature mushroom by an annulus around the stem and sometimes a cortina on the margin of the cap

(figurative) Anything that partially obscures a clear view.

Membrane initially completely investing the young sporophore of various mushrooms that is ruptured by growth; represented in the mature mushroom by a volva around lower part of stem and scales on upper surface of the cap

A cover; disguise; a mask; a pretense.

A muscular flap that closes off the nasopharynx during swallowing or speaking

A covering for a person or thing; as, a caul (especially over the head)

(biology) The calyptra of mosses.

(zoology) velum A circular membrane round the cap of a medusa.

(mycology) A thin layer of tissue which is attached to or covers a mushroom.

(mycology) A membrane connecting the margin of the pileus of a mushroom with the stalk; a velum.

An obscuration of the clearness of the tones in pronunciation.

That which separates the living and the spirit world.

(transitive) To dress in, or decorate with, a veil.

(transitive) To conceal as with a veil.

Something hung up, or spread out, to intercept the view, and hide an object; a cover; a curtain; esp., a screen, usually of gauze, crape, or similar diaphnous material, to hide or protect the face.

A cover; a disguise; a mask; a pretense.

The calyptra of mosses.

A covering for a person or thing; as, a nun's veil; a paten veil; an altar veil.

Same as Velum, 3.

To throw a veil over; to cover with a veil.

Fig.: To invest; to cover; to hide; to conceal.

A garment that covers the head and face

The inner embryonic membrane of higher vertebrates (especially when covering the head at birth)

A vestment worn by a priest at High Mass in the Roman Catholic Church; a silk shawl

To obscure, or conceal with or as if with a veil;

Make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing;