facies

American  

[fey-shee-eez, -sheez] / ˈfeɪ ʃiˌiz, -ʃiz /

noun

plural

facies

1. general appearance, as of an animal or vegetable group.

2. Geology. the appearance and characteristics of a sedimentary deposit, especially as they reflect the conditions and environment of deposition and serve to distinguish the deposit from contiguous deposits.

3. Medicine/Medical. a facial expression characteristic of a disease or pathological condition.

4. Archaeology. a distinctive phase of a prehistoric cultural tradition.

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facies British  

/ ˈfeɪʃɪˌiːz /

noun

1. the general form and appearance of an individual or a group of plants or animals

2. the characteristics of a rock or series of rocks reflecting their appearance, composition, and conditions of formation

3. med the general facial expression of a patient, esp when typical of a specific disease or disorder See Hippocratic facies

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facies Scientific  

/ fā′shē-ēz′,-shēz /

plural

facies

1. 1. A body of sedimentary rock distinguished from others by its lithology, geometry, sedimentary structures, proximity to other types of sedimentary rock, and fossil content, and recognized as characteristic of a particular depositional environment.

   2. For a metamorphic rock, the particular combination of pressure and temperature under which metamorphism occurred.

2. The general aspect or makeup of an ecological community, especially a local modification of a community characterized by a conspicuous or abundant species that is absent or less concentrated in other locations.

3. The appearance or expression of the face, especially when typical of a certain disorder or disease.

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Other Word Forms

• subfacies nounsubfacies

Etymology

Origin of facies

1350–1400, for an earlier sense; Middle English < Latin: form, figure, appearance, face, akin to facere to make

Example Sentences

This combination of high temperature and low pressure produces numerous metamorphic facies.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

Recognizing these facies is the most direct way to interpret the metamorphic history of rock.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

Many different styles of metamorphic facies are recognized, tied to different geologic and tectonic processes.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

Index fossils, fossilized life forms specific to a particular environment and/or geologic time period, are an example of biological facies.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

The terms diabase and dolerite are employed really to designate distinct facies of the same set of rocks.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 3 "Destructors" to "Diameter" by Various