The appearance of a person's face is called physiognomy.
The Greek word physiognōmonía , through haplology (an operation that consists of removing a syllable that is next to another similar one in the same term), became physiognōmía . This term arrived in medieval Latin physiognomia , which in our language became physiognomy .
The appearance of an individual's face is called physiognomy. Physiognomy, therefore, is the appearance of the face of a human being. For example: “I am satisfied with my physiognomy, I would never undergo cosmetic surgery” , “This is a hairstyle that looks good with any physiognomy” , “The police gave details of the fugitive's physiognomy so that the neighbors can collaborate with the "search and take precautions in case you come across him."
What is physiognomy
The physiognomy is determined by the characteristics of the hair, eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, etc. Skin color is also linked to physiognomy, which is important to distinguish and recognize people.
When someone wants to hide their identity , they usually hide their physiognomy . That is what thieves intend when they use masks and hoods: by not showing their physiognomy, they seek impunity when committing the crime.
Similarities and differences
Although human beings can be very different from each other, it is also true that there are many similar individuals, although they generally do not live in the same geographic region. Populations that have historically been more closed to mixing with others have fewer differences in their physiognomy than those in which there have been important fusions with people from various parts of the world.
Take the case of Japan , for example, a country where for cultural reasons people tend to stay in their homeland all their lives (except for tourist trips, which are also very popular) and form families among themselves: although there is a great number of possible combinations in the features of their faces, its inhabitants are not as different from each other as those of North America , where the mixture of races is considerably greater.
The physiognomy can be modified through different methods.
The physiognomy changes
There is also the term physiognomy , which serves to designate the person who studies physiognomy or someone who has an innate ability to remember and recognize others by their physiognomy. For example, when someone is able to recognize film actors despite the passage of time, makeup or even costumes , they are said to be a physiognomist.
Precisely, physiognomy is a set of particular features that each person has on their face, it is one of the elements that makes them individuals. Those who are able to detect these details and remember them will know how to find them even after several years of not having seen another person, even if they have aged or gone through several changes in their aesthetics.
Some say that physiognomy is part of our personality, and that is why they oppose cosmetic surgeries. For example, the nose is a very distinctive element, and it is precisely the one that people most frequently want to change on their face. However, if we learn to accept our traits as they are, we can lead a healthy and happy life, focusing on inner enrichment over outer beauty .
Another use of the notion
It should be noted that the idea of physiognomy is also used to refer to the appearance of things in general .
“Thanks to the sanitation work that was carried out, the river now has a different appearance”, “The government wants to renew the appearance of the Legislative Palace and for that it will carry out restoration and remodeling tasks” y “The traditional restaurant modified its appearance with the aim of modernizing itself” son expresiones que muestran este uso.