An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. A piece of opaque or transparent cloth worn by women as a covering for the head and shoulders.
   

2. Something that covers, screens, or conceals.

Etymology (EN): M.E. veile; O.Fr. voile “a head-covering” (also “sail”),
from L. vela, plural of velum “curtain, covering; sail.”

Etymology (PE): Vâšâmé “veil,” variants vâšâm, bâšâmé, bâšâm, from Mid.Pers. *varšâmak (loaned in Arm. varšamak “veil, scarf”); cf. Sogd. wâršâmé “veil;” from Proto-Ir. *varšāmaka-, from *varšām-, from *varš-, from var- “to cover;” cf. Av. var- “to cover, conceal;” Skt. var- “to cover;” Mid.Pers. warr “garment,” prefixed uzvâr-, uzvârdan “to uncover, show, apprehend, interprete;” Mod.Pers. šalvâr “trousers” (literally “thigh cover;” the first component šal “thigh,” šelang “thigh; step, distance between feet when walking,” cognate with Gk. skelos “leg”); Kurd. (Soriani) barg “cover; clothes,” da barg girtin “to wrap in a cover.”