facial

1 of 2

adjective

fa·​cial ˈfā-shəl 

1

: of or relating to the face

facial expressions

2

: concerned with or used in improving the appearance of the face

facially

ˈfā-shə-lē 

adverb

facial

2 of 2

noun

: a treatment to improve the condition or appearance of the facial skin

Examples of facial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

After my book came out, The New York Times ran a big investigative piece about the ways in which social media photos of toddlers and young children had been surreptitiously used to train facial recognition software. —Andrew Limbong, NPR, 20 May 2024

The co-owners have seen this technique become increasingly popular among individuals aiming to maintain natural facial dynamics while preventing static rhytids—those resting wrinkles that subtly betray one's age. —Nick Kasmik, USA TODAY, 18 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Medieval Latin faciālis "face-to-face, direct," from Latin faciēs "appearance, face entry 1" + -ālis -al entry 1

Noun

derivative of facial entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1910, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing facial

• facial index
• facial nerve

Kids Definition

facial

1 of 2 adjective

fa·​cial ˈfā-shəl 

: of or relating to the face

facially

-shə-lē 

adverb

facial

2 of 2 noun

: a treatment to improve the condition of the skin of the face

Medical Definition

facial

1 of 2 adjective

fa·​cial ˈfā-shəl 

1

: of, relating to, or affecting the face

facial neuralgia

2

: concerned with or used in improving the appearance of the face

3

: relating to or being the buccal and labial surface of a tooth

facially

-shə-lē 

adverb

facial

2 of 2 noun

1

: a treatment to improve the appearance of the face

2

: a facial part (as a nerve or artery)

Legal Definition

facial

adjective

fa·​cial

: involving or apparent from the face of something (as a statute)

facial discrimination

a facial challenge to the law

facially adverb