facial
Americanadjective
-
of the face.
facial expression.
-
for the face.
a facial cream.
noun
-
facials
plural
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of facial
1600–10; 1910–15 facial for def. 3; < Medieval Latin faciālis. See face, -al 1
Explanation
When you describe something as facial, it has to do with the face. Your facial expression is the smile — or frown — that you happen to be wearing on your face. Your facial features are made up of your eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks — everything that together comprises your whole face. When you use the word facial as a noun, it means a spa treatment that usually includes a deep cleaning and moisturizing of the face. You might decide to get a massage and a facial at the fancy resort hotel where you're spending a relaxing week. The Medieval Latin root is facialis, "of the face," from facies, "figure, appearance, or countenance."
Vocabulary lists containing facial
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.
See Examples For:
I had hoped the bangs would repel him, but my new facial accessory failed to be a punctuation between us in the way I’d imagined.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
The system relies on facial recognition and fingerprints instead of the age-old practice of getting your passport stamped at a booth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Her daughter was born early with a cleft palate, facial symptoms of sodium valproate syndrome as well as ADHD.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Dogs normally interpret people using many signals at once, including facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and scent.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
She was willing to risk the awkwardness of arriving to school her senior year with a brand-new facial feature.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
Animal-derived skin care products are gaining popularity, from salmon sperm facials to moisturizers made with beef tallow — the fat around a cow’s internal organs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
They have introduced a boutique spa for 2026 as they said demand for wellbeing activities continued to boom and it will offer treatment tents, facials and aromatherapy as "moments of serenity" for festival-goers.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Located at Rosedale Center, the spa offers nail services alongside massages, facials and body treatments in a calm, welcoming setting.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
Today, he suggested, a more common sign of status is spending money on things like yoga classes or facials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026
When Declaration spent the night, Aunt Florentine gave us egg-white facials, shared all her beauty tips, and let us rummage through her jewelry box.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
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.
