waxy appearance
- noun
:
apariencia cerosa
- After the illness, his face took on a waxy appearance that worried the doctors.
Examples
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Look at that waxy appearance on the surface of the lake!
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The candle's surface had the same waxy appearance as polished marble.
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A waxy appearance of the skin can sometimes indicate an underlying health condition.
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Her skin had a waxy appearance after using the new moisturizer.
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Her face had a pale, waxy appearance after spending days in the hospital.
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The fruit had a shiny, waxy appearance, making it look fresh and appealing.
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After applying the moisturizer, my skin took on a waxy appearance, reflecting the light beautifully.
Synonyms
48
4.2
A soft, smooth shine on a surface that looks healthy or attractive
24
3.8
A smooth shiny appearance on a surface
7
4.3
A shiny, gently glowing look on a surface like metal or porcelain
1
4.1
A smooth, shiny surface that reflects light
1
2.0
How bright and smooth a surface is when it sends back light
A surface that looks and feels smooth and slightly greasy like a candle
A very shiny smooth surface that reflects light brightly
Antonyms
How Waxy
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'waxy' (resembling wax) modifies 'appearance' (visible look), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer 'a smooth, glossy look like wax'. This is a straightforward adjective+noun combination following normal English composition and is cross-linguistically transparent.
Etymology
Waxy appearance comes from the smooth, shiny surface of candle wax, so imagine waxy skin like a candle, glossy and a little stiff, and the appearance looks like wax. So when people use it, they mean the skin or surface seems 'smooth' or 'glossy' like wax.