WordGarden.iofacial
C1Pronunciation
UK
- /fˈeɪʃəl/
US
- /ˈfeɪʃəl/
Meanings
Adjective
relating to the face
Noun
a beauty treatment for the face
(slang)a sexual act involving ejaculation on a person's face
Beyond the definition
"Facial" has a few related meanings, all connected to the face. Most commonly today, it means a beauty treatment for the skin on your face, often done to clean, soften, or improve it. It is also an adjective meaning relating to the face, as in "facial features" (eyes, nose, mouth) or "facial expressions" (a smile or a frown). You might hear it in a spa, at a doctor's office, or when someone is describing how a person looks.
The word "facial" has several meanings, but they all center on the face. In modern everyday use, many people first think of a facial as a skin treatment for the face. This usually includes steps like cleaning the skin, removing dead skin, and putting on creams or masks to help the skin look and feel better. Someone might get one at a spa or salon before a special event or as part of a regular skin-care routine.
Beyond that, "facial" is also a common adjective. It can describe anything related to the face, such as facial muscles, facial hair, facial features, or facial expressions. It is also used in fields like medicine and technology, for example in facial nerve, facial injury, or facial recognition. In all of these cases, the idea is simply that something has to do with the face.
So the word can work as both a noun and an adjective. It may refer to a beauty treatment, or it may describe appearance, movement, hair, structure, health, or technology connected with the face. Whether you are talking about a smile, a beard, a skin treatment, or phone unlocking, the meaning stays close to the same central idea.
Examples
- 1
Expression
Her facial expression changed as soon as she read the message.
- 2
Physical description
The police asked the witness to describe the man's facial features.
- 3
Facial hair
He started growing facial hair in his late teens.
- 4
Injuries
She had minor facial injuries after the bike accident.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Phone security
Many phones now use facial recognition to unlock the screen.
- Phrasefacial recognition
technology that identifies a person by their face
- 6
Beauty treatment
She booked a facial before the holiday.
See also
Similar
- of the face
- face-related
Shades of meaning
- craniofacial
- orofacial
- maxillofacial
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- facial expression
- facial features
- facial hair
- facial recognition
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- facialnounadjective
Forms
- facialspluralnounadjective