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face for television

face for television

5.5
A person who looks attractive on television
  • noun
  • Informal
translation icon : cara para televisión
  • She has the perfect face for television!

Examples

  • The casting director said she was searching for someone with a face for television.

  • People often comment that he has a face for television thanks to his dazzling smile.

  • Despite his young age, he already has a face for television and a charming personality.

  • Many actors are chosen based on their face for television.

  • The young model was told she had a face for television and could easily become famous.

  • Producers are always looking for talent with a face for television to attract viewers.

  • With his striking features and charisma, he definitely has a face for television.

Synonyms

pretty face
vsface for television
  • Offensive
33 4.2

An attractive person who others think has nothing besides looks

is selected for media appeal rather than for deeper qualities

Antonyms

The way something looks when people do not find it pleasing

How Photogenic

photogenic
17 3.6
face for television
  • Informal
5.5
plain
50 2.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

face + for + television

The meaning 'a face that is attractive or appealing enough to appear on television' is directly derivable from the constituents: 'face' (the person’s face) + 'for' (indicating purpose or suitability) + 'television' (the medium). This compositional purpose/recipient pattern is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the words should understand the expression.

Etymology

The phrase face for television comes from early TV casting. One popular story says that when television started, people making shows looked for a clear, friendly face that looked good on television, so the phrase now means someone attractive or appealing 'to appear on television'.