physiognomy

noun

phys·​i·​og·​no·​my ˌfi-zē-ˈä(g)-nə-mē 

plural physiognomies

1

: the art of discovering temperament and character from outward appearance

2

: the facial features held to show qualities of mind or character by their configuration or expression

3

: external aspect

also : inner character or quality revealed outwardly

Examples of physiognomy in a Sentence

He and his son have the same distinctive physiognomy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Differences between Genovese and Costello come down to their marriages (the former to Kathrine Narducci’s Anna, the latter to Debra Messing’s Bobbie) and the physiognomy of make-up for the men’s superficial contrasts. —Armond White, National Review, 21 Mar. 2025

Kahn presents an extraordinary panoply of European, African, and Latin faces — physiognomies that instantly convey a liberal democracy in conflict. —Armond White, National Review, 6 Sep. 2024

Guston’s first comic for The Junior Times, a sparse strip drawn at age 12, introduced Little Snowball, a Black youth bearing exaggerated racial physiognomy and dialect. —Walker Mimms, New York Times, 4 June 2024

Her husband would catch her staring clinically at his physiognomy. —Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English phisonomie, from Anglo-French phisenomie, from Late Latin physiognomonia, physiognomia, from Greek physiognōmonia, from physiognōmōn judging character by the features, from physis nature, physique, appearance + gnōmōn interpreter — more at gnomon

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

physiognomy

noun

phys·​i·​og·​no·​my ˌfiz-ē-ˈä(g)-nə-mē 

plural physiognomies

: facial features or expression thought to reveal qualities of mind or character

Medical Definition

physiognomy

noun

phys·​i·​og·​no·​my ˌfiz-ē-ˈä(g)-nə-mē 

plural physiognomies

1

: the art of discovering temperament and character from outward appearance

2

: the facial features held to show qualities of mind or character by their configuration or expression