Word of the Day

: August 6, 2008

visage

noun VIZ-ij

What It Means

1 : the face, countenance, or appearance of a person or sometimes an animal

2 : aspect, appearance

visage in Context

The model's fierce, smoldering visage appears to gaze with contempt from billboards throughout the city.

Did You Know?

The word "face" may be a pretty generic word, but it has several high-flown synonyms. "Physiognomy," for instance, refers to facial features thought to reveal qualities of temperament or character ("I thought I could detect in his physiognomy a mind owning better qualities than his father ever possessed. . . ." -- Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights). "Countenance" is often used to refer to the face as an indication of mood or emotion ("Mina struggled hard to keep her brave countenance. . . ." -- Bram Stoker, Dracula). "Visage" can refer to the face of a person or an animal, and it can also refer to the appearance of nonliving things, as in "the dirty visage of the old abandoned factory."