physiognomy

American  

[fiz-ee-og-nuh-mee, -on-uh-mee] / ˌfɪz iˈɒg nə mi, -ˈɒn ə mi /

noun

plural

physiognomies

1. the face or countenance, especially when considered as an index to the character.

   a fierce physiognomy.

2. Also called anthroposcopy.  the art of determining character or personal characteristics from the form or features of the body, especially of the face.

3. the outward appearance of anything, taken as offering some insight into its character.

   the physiognomy of a nation.

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physiognomy British  

/ ˌfɪzɪˈɒnəmɪ, ˌfɪzɪəˈnɒmɪk /

noun

1. a person's features or characteristic expression considered as an indication of personality

2. the art or practice of judging character from facial features

3. the outward appearance of something, esp the physical characteristics of a geographical region

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Other Word Forms

• physiognomic adjective
• physiognomical adjective
• physiognomically adverb
• physiognomist noun
• physiognomonic adjective
• physiognomonical adjective
• physiognomonically adverb

Etymology

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 ( physio-, gnomon, -y ³ ); replacing Middle English fisenamie, fisnamie, fisnomie < Middle French fisonomie < Medieval Latin, as above; phiz

Explanation

The word physiognomy means the appearance of someone's face. When traveling in Italy, you may be struck by the pleasing physiognomy of the marble statues sculpted during the Renaissance. The reason physiognomy sounds like it should be something you study in school right after biology, geometry, and astronomy is that people used to think that it was a science by which you could tell someone's character through their facial features. If you've ever read any Nancy Drew stories, you will know how this plays out — anyone with "shifty eyes" is not to be trusted.

Example Sentences

So the heart of the problem was to give the museum the necessary new gallery space, studio for resident artists, 100-seat “vegetable-forward” restaurant, and other supporting areas—while doing nothing that would disrupt its distinctive physiognomy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Eliza, who does not seem to belong there at all, is also hot — hotter than Petey’s former best friend, for even in cartoons, physiognomy is destiny.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 21, 2023

She and Bardem are both miscast, but Kidman is a particularly off fit for Ball, whose physical dexterity and ductile physiognomy, her rubber-band mouth and astonished eyes, are imprinted in our collective brain.

From New York Times • Dec. 8, 2021

“I deal with the physiognomy of the soul of black folk,” said Stevens.

From The Guardian • Aug. 29, 2019

And the process of naming “the people” has never been a matter of genealogy and physiognomy so much as one of hierarchy.

From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates