visage
Americannoun
-
face or countenance
-
appearance; aspect
Synonym Usage
See face.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of visage
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French, equivalent to vis “face” (from Latin vīsus “sight, appearance” ( Vulgar Latin: “face”), noun use of masculine past participle of vidēre “to see”) + -age -age. See wit 2 ( def. )
Explanation
Visage is a literary term for referring to someone's face or facial features. You may notice that some face creams use the word visage to try to sound fancier than they are. A famous use of visage is in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Brutus says: "O conspiracy/Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,/When evils are most free? O, then by day/Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough/To mask thy monstrous visage?" Now there's a quote that will help you remember the meaning of visage, and even give you nightmares.
Vocabulary lists containing visage
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Romeo and Juliet
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The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A DJ party night, featuring sets from Radio 2 presenters Sara Cox, DJ Spoony, Gary Davies, Michelle Visage and Rylan will kick off the weekend on the Friday night.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
The Scottish star, from Cambuslang near Glasgow, organised Live Aid alongside Sir Bob Geldof and had 1980s chart hits with Ultravox and Visage.
From BBC • Aug. 6, 2025
“My jiggles…. The laughter was endless, our talks were special, your energy was contagious,” said Michelle Visage, who posted a photo with the late star.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2025
Drag Race judge Michelle Visage said: "My jiggles…. The laughter was endless, our talks were special, your energy was contagious. You were and remain so very loved."
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2025
With a sad Visage he made his Adieus, and he Exacted her Pledge to Write to him Occasionally.
From The Wit and Humor of America, Volume II. (of X.) by Wilder, Marshall Pinckney
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
