English Reference
adjective · noun

facial

adj. · n.
US /ˈfeɪʃəɫ/ UK /fˈeɪʃəl/ fa·cial UK spelling facials

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    adj.related to or affecting your face.

    adj.of or relating to the face; used as a relational adjective.

    Simple

    He had a very friendly facial expression when he greeted us.

    In context

    The patient suffered minor facial injuries during the accident, but the doctors expect a full recovery without scarring.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    n.a beauty treatment where someone cleans and puts creams on your face to make your skin look better.

    n.a cosmetic treatment involving the cleansing, exfoliation, and moisturisation of the face.

    Simple

    She decided to get a facial at the spa to relax before her wedding.

    In context

    The spa offers a variety of services, including a deep-cleansing facial designed to rejuvenate tired skin after long-haul travel.

    treatmentskincare
  3. 03 C1 Advanced FormalTechnical Law

    adj.describing a law that seems valid just by looking at the words written in it.

    adj.referring to a law or regulation as it appears on its face, rather than how it is applied in practice.

    Simple

    The lawyer argued that the new rule was a facial violation of the constitution.

    In context

    The court must determine whether the statute constitutes a facial challenge to the First Amendment or if the issue lies in its specific application.

  4. 04 C1 Advanced SlangInformal Sport

    n.an illegal move in sports where a player hits an opponent in the face.

    n.an illegal action or foul in contact sports involving a direct blow to an opponent's face.

    Simple

    The player was sent off the field after giving his opponent a facial.

    In context

    The referee immediately blew the whistle, penalising the defender for a blatant facial during the final minutes of the match.

Usage facial structure


Early 17th century, borrowed from Medieval Latin faciālis (“face-to-face, direct, open”), from faciēs (“form, configuration, figure; face, visage, countenance”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin la-med faciālis
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated