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physiognomy

[ fiz-ee-og-nuh-mee, -on-uh-mee ]
/ ˌfɪz iˈɒg nə mi, -ˈɒn ə mi /
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See synonyms for: physiognomy / physiognomies on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural phys·i·og·no·mies.
the face or countenance, especially when considered as an index to the character: a fierce physiognomy.
Also called anthroposcopy. the art of determining character or personal characteristics from the form or features of the body, especially of the face.
the outward appearance of anything, taken as offering some insight into its character: the physiognomy of a nation.
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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 (see physio-, gnomon, -y3); replacing Middle English fisenamie, fisnamie, fisnomie<Middle French fisonomie<Medieval Latin, as above; cf. phiz

OTHER WORDS FROM physiognomy

phys·i·og·nom·ic [fiz-ee-og-nom-ik, ‐ee-uh-nom‐], /ˌfɪz i ɒgˈnɒm ɪk, ‐i əˈnɒm‐/, phys·i·og·nom·i·cal, phys·i·og·no·mon·ic [fiz-ee-og-nuh-mon-ik, ‐on-uh‐], /ˌfɪz iˌɒg nəˈmɒn ɪk, ‐ˌɒn ə‐/, phys·i·og·no·mon·i·cal, adjectivephys·i·og·nom·i·cal·ly, phys·i·og·no·mon·i·cal·ly, adverbphys·i·og·no·mist, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use physiognomy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for physiognomy

physiognomy
/ (ˌfɪzɪˈɒnəmɪ) /

noun
a person's features or characteristic expression considered as an indication of personality
the art or practice of judging character from facial features
the outward appearance of something, esp the physical characteristics of a geographical region

Derived forms of physiognomy

physiognomic (ˌfɪzɪəˈnɒmɪk) or physiognomical, adjectivephysiognomically, adverbphysiognomist, noun

Word Origin for physiognomy

C14: from Old French phisonomie, via Medieval Latin, from Late Greek phusiognōmia, erroneous for Greek phusiognōmonia, from phusis nature + gnōmōn judge
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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