facies
Americannoun
plural
facies-
general appearance, as of an animal or vegetable group.
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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.
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Medicine/Medical. a facial expression characteristic of a disease or pathological condition.
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Archaeology. a distinctive phase of a prehistoric cultural tradition.
noun
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the general form and appearance of an individual or a group of plants or animals
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the characteristics of a rock or series of rocks reflecting their appearance, composition, and conditions of formation
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med the general facial expression of a patient, esp when typical of a specific disease or disorder See Hippocratic facies
plural
facies-
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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.
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For a metamorphic rock, the particular combination of pressure and temperature under which metamorphism occurred.
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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.
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The appearance or expression of the face, especially when typical of a certain disorder or disease.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of facies
1350–1400, for an earlier sense; Middle English < Latin: form, figure, appearance, face, akin to facere to make
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.
The lowest pressure conditions produce hornfels facies, while higher pressure creates greenschist, amphibolite, or granulite facies.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017
The term facies is an objective description of a rock.
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
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 Carboniferous system in Brazil presents itself under two facies, the one marine and the other terrestrial.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various
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.
