Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

facial

/ˈfeɪ.ʃəl/ adjective

Latin root: faciālis Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about facial at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Of or affecting the face.
Concerned with or used in improving the appearance of the face.
On its face; as it appears (as opposed to on a more probing analysis, as it is applied, etc.).
The facial constitutionality of the law is in question.

noun

A personal care beauty treatment which involves cleansing and moisturizing of the human face.
A kind of early silent film focusing on the facial expressions of the actor.
A foul play which involves one player hitting another's face.

Origin

Early 17th century, borrowed from Medieval Latin faciālis (“face-to-face, direct, open”), from faciēs (“form, configuration, figure; face, visage, countenance”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word