physiognomy

[ fiz-ee-og-nuh-mee, -on-uh-mee ]
See synonyms for: physiognomyphysiognomies on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural phys·i·og·no·mies.
  1. the face or countenance, especially when considered as an index to the character: a fierce physiognomy.

  2. Also called anthroposcopy. the art of determining character or personal characteristics from the form or features of the body, especially of the face.

  1. the outward appearance of anything, taken as offering some insight into its character: the physiognomy of a nation.

Origin of physiognomy

1
1350–1400; earlier phisognomie, phisiognomie,late Middle English phisonomie<Medieval Latin physionomia, physonomia<Late Greek physiognōmía, syncopated variant of Greek physiognōmonía art of judging a person by his features (see physio-, gnomon, -y3); replacing Middle English fisenamie, fisnamie, fisnomie<Middle French fisonomie<Medieval Latin, as above; cf. phiz

Other words from physiognomy

  • phys·i·og·nom·ic [fiz-ee-og-nom-ik, ‐ee-uh-nom‐], /ˌfɪz i ɒgˈnɒm ɪk, ‐i əˈnɒm‐/, phys·i·og·nom·i·cal, phys·i·og·no·mon·ic [fiz-ee-og-nuh-mon-ik, ‐on-uh‐], /ˌfɪz iˌɒg nəˈmɒn ɪk, ‐ˌɒn ə‐/, phys·i·og·no·mon·i·cal, adjective
  • phys·i·og·nom·i·cal·ly, phys·i·og·no·mon·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • phys·i·og·no·mist, noun

Words Nearby physiognomy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use physiognomy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for physiognomy

physiognomy

/ (ˌfɪzɪˈɒnəmɪ) /


noun
  1. a person's features or characteristic expression considered as an indication of personality

  2. the art or practice of judging character from facial features

  1. the outward appearance of something, esp the physical characteristics of a geographical region

Origin of physiognomy

1
C14: from Old French phisonomie, via Medieval Latin, from Late Greek phusiognōmia, erroneous for Greek phusiognōmonia, from phusis nature + gnōmōn judge

Derived forms of physiognomy

  • physiognomic (ˌfɪzɪəˈnɒmɪk) or physiognomical, adjective
  • physiognomically, adverb
  • physiognomist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012