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physiognomic

physiognomic

1 9.6
About a person's face or look that suggests their character
  • adjective
  • /ˌfɪziəˈnɑːmɪk/
  • Archaic
: fisiognómico
  • The artist focused on the physiognomic traits of each subject to illustrate their unique personalities.
  • physiognomic classification
  • physiognomic likeness
  • physiognomic map

So Hegel is not actually comparing language here to action and physiognomic expression or phrenological expression too, right?

Examples

  • Another distinguishing feature of Van Dyck's series was its physiognomic realism.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Their sole attributes are their poses, their physiognomic features, and the very fact of their captivity.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Yet Motley seems to have accepted racial categories and tried to document the physiognomic character of women of mixed race.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Kuchler drew the fairly obvious conclusion that physiognomic classification is appropriate in this case.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Fahd also summarizes the Islamic science of firsa as consisting of the medical study of shapes and the physiognomic study of character (383).

    Academic text (2013)
  • Many believe that physiognomic features can reveal a lot about a person's character.

  • In his study, he highlighted the physiognomic aspects that define social perceptions of beauty.

Surface Forms

physiognomic positive

Morphology

physiognomic = physiognomy (transparent) = physiognomy + ic

A standard adjective formed from the noun 'physiognomy' with '-ic'; if a learner knows 'physiognomy' the adjective's meaning is directly predictable.

Etymology

Physiognomic comes from Greek parts: physio- meaning 'body' or 'appearance' (like physical) and -gnomic meaning 'judge' or 'know'. So physiognomic is about judging a person's character from their face or outward appearance.