facial angle

American  

noun

1. Craniometry. the angle formed by a line from nasion to prosthion at its intersection with the plane of the Frankfurt horizontal.

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facial angle British  

noun

1. the angle formed between a line from the base of the nose to the opening of the ear and a line from the base of the nose to the most prominent part of the forehead: often used in comparative anthropology

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Etymology

Origin of facial angle

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

It does not, however, help us much towards the true knowledge of a people to scan their frames or study their facial angle, or even to contemplate the outer aspect of their daily life.

From Ancient Egypt by Rawlinson, George

Investigations have shown that facial angle and capacity of cranium and cephalic index afford no certain criterion of thought power or susceptibility to culture.

From A Review of Hoffman's Race Traits and Tendencies of the American Negro The American Negro Academy. Occasional Papers No. 1 by Miller, Kelly

And the law of selection enlarged his facial angle, and culture put arms in his hands.

From Vagaries by Munthe, Axel

It may be said that there is some organic correlation between increased size of brain and decreased size of jaw: Camper's doctrine of the facial angle being referred to in proof.

From Essays: Scientific, Political, & Speculative, Vol. I by Spencer, Herbert

It is this very generality and fixedness, which render it, in almost all cases, inapplicable; this is the inherent defect in the supposed importance of Camper’s facial angle.

From Beauty Illustrated Chiefly by an Analysis and Classificatin of Beauty in Woman by Walker, Alexander