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Glite Dictionary
fair complexion

fair complexion

1 3.5
Light skin that often burns easily in the sun
  • noun
  • /fɛr kəmˈplɛkʃən/
translation icon : tez clara
  • He had a slim, boyish body, a fair complexion with freckles, and perfectly coiffed strawberry blond hair.

So what Suetonius has to say he was a tall man of Fair complexion, slender build, with a rather full face.

Examples

  • He was described as 5 feet tall, 105 pounds, blond hair, blue eyes, with a fair complexion.

    Blog text (2)

  • Fair complexion and full of life.

    Finding Fanny (2014)

  • Fair complexion, brown hair, brown eyes.

    Norma Rae (1979)

  • Henry himself was just past forty now, though his fair complexion and his surplus of energy suggested a younger man.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • She was slender and had a fair complexion, unusual in a farmer's daughter.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • She's about 5'5", strawberry blonde, big, green eyes, fair complexion.

    Working Girls (1987)

  • Her fair complexion made her look stunning in pastel colors.

  • The artist selected a model with a fair complexion to showcase his light-hued paintings.

  • Many people complimented Sarah's fair complexion, particularly during the summer months.

Synonyms

fairness
vsfair complexion
1 7.2

A light, attractive color of the skin

is a neutral description of pale skin rather than attractiveness

Antonyms

dark
588 1.0

Having a deep brown or nearly black color

tanned
11 1.0

Skin made darker by spending time in the sun

How Light

paleness
3 4.3
fair complexion
1 3.5
dark-skinned
13 2.2

Surface Forms

fair complexion singular
fair complexions plural

Morphology

fair + complexion

The phrase combines 'fair' (light, pale) with 'complexion' (natural skin color), so the meaning 'a light or pale skin tone' is directly derivable from the constituents. This compositional pattern is cross-linguistically common (e.g., Spanish 'tez clara', French 'teint clair'), so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand it.

Etymology

Fair complexion uses fair in its older sense meaning 'light' or 'pale' and complexion to mean the colour of the skin. So it describes someone with 'a light or pale skin tone'.