physiognomy
Americannoun
plural
physiognomies-
the face or countenance, especially when considered as an index to the character.
a fierce physiognomy.
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Also called anthroposcopy. the art of determining character or personal characteristics from the form or features of the body, especially of the face.
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the outward appearance of anything, taken as offering some insight into its character.
the physiognomy of a nation.
noun
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a person's features or characteristic expression considered as an indication of personality
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the art or practice of judging character from facial features
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the outward appearance of something, esp the physical characteristics of a geographical region
Other Word Forms
- physiognomic adjective
- physiognomical adjective
- physiognomically adverb
- physiognomist noun
- physiognomonic adjective
- physiognomonical adjective
- physiognomonically adverb
Etymology
Origin of physiognomy
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 ( physio-, gnomon, -y 3 ); replacing Middle English fisenamie, fisnamie, fisnomie < Middle French fisonomie < Medieval Latin, as above; phiz
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.
He aimed to capture the temperament and character of his sitters as revealed by their physiognomy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 24, 2026
“Although Hall never resorts to a cliched impersonation, his suggestion of Nixon’s physiognomy is frequently uncanny, especially in profile.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2022
Take Michael Gove, a revanchist endorsement of the science of physiognomy.
From The Guardian • Dec. 7, 2019
To an extent, her success was due to physiognomy.
From The New Yorker • May 14, 2019
But I liked his physiognomy even less than before: it struck me as being at the same time unsettled and inanimate.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
