noun · countable / uncountable · rare

physiognomy

physiognomy · physiognomies

физиономика, физиогномика, физиономия

Physiognomik

The art or pseudoscience of deducing the predominant temper and other characteristic…The art or pseudoscience of deducing the predominant temper and other characteristic qualities of the mind from the outward appearance, especially from the features of the face.

UK/fɪziˈɒnəmi/US/fɪziˈɑ(ɡ)nəmi/

» Don't open your mouth, and your physiognomy demonstrates a preoccupation.

Meaning

4 senses

(countable, uncountable)The art or pseudoscience of deducing the predominant temper and other characteristic qualities of the mind from the outward appearance, especially from the features of the face.
Physiognomik
физионо́микаfizionómika, физиогно́микаfiziognómika
(countable, uncountable)The face or countenance, with respect to the temper of the mind; particular configuration, cast, or expression of countenance, as denoting character.
физионо́мияfizionómija
(countable, uncountable)The art of telling fortunes by inspection of the features.
(countable, uncountable)The general appearance or aspect of a thing, without reference to its scientific characteristics.
the physiognomy of a plant; of a meteor

More definitions

the human face (‘kisser’ and ‘smiler’ and ‘mug’ are informal terms for ‘face’ and ‘phiz’ is British)

Examples

2 sentences

Don't open your mouth, and your physiognomy demonstrates a preoccupation.
CC BY · Tatoeba · adiante19 · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
The physiognomy of the landscape on the tropical coast is gorgeous.
CC BY · Tatoeba · Haruhi_Gafitas · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem

Translations

5 languages

Русский

By meaning 2

art or pseudoscience of deducing the character or personality from the bodily appearance:

countenance:

Deutsch

By meaning 1

art or pseudoscience of deducing the character or personality from the bodily appearance:

Origin

Inherited from Middle English phisonomie, from Anglo-Norman phisenomie, Middle French phis

Inherited from Middle English phisonomie, from Anglo-Norman phisenomie, Middle French phisonomie et al., ultimately from Late Latin physiognomia, from Ancient Greek φυσιογνωμία (phusiognōmía, “physiology”), from φύσις (phúsis, “physique, appearance”) + γνώμη (gnṓmē, “means of knowing”). Middle English phisonomie would regularly develop into *physnomy /ˈfɪznəmi/ (forms of this type are common in Early Modern English, such as fisnomie in All's Well that Ends Well); the modern spelling and pronunciation are due to learned influence.

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