physiognomy

/ˈfɪziˌɑ(g)nəmi/

Other forms: physiognomies

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.

Definitions of physiognomy

1. noun

   the human face (`kisser' and `smiler' and `mug' are informal terms for `face' and `phiz' is British)
   synonyms: countenance, kisser, mug, phiz, smiler, visage

   types:

   pudding face, pudding-face

   a large fat human face

   type of:

   face, human face

   the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear