Word
forehead
Phoneticsfore·head, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɔɹhɛd/
UK/fˈɔːhɛd/
Definitions
01part of the face
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. the part of your face that is above your eyes and below your hair.
n. the anatomical region of the face situated between the eyebrows and the hairline.
“He wiped the sweat from his forehead after finishing the long run.”
“The doctor placed a cool hand on the child's forehead to check for a fever before reaching for the thermometer.”
Synonyms
02phone bezel
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Informal · Technical
n. the top part of a mobile phone or tablet above the screen.
n. the upper portion of a smartphone or tablet bezel, typically housing the front camera and sensors.
“Modern phones have very thin foreheads to make the screen look bigger.”
“The latest flagship model eliminates the forehead entirely by hiding the proximity sensors and camera beneath the display panel.”
Usage
Often paired with 'chin' to describe the bottom bezel of a device.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03boldness
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Literary · Archaic
n. a lot of confidence or being rude in a brave way.
n. audacity, impudence, or shameless confidence.
“He had the forehead to ask for a raise after being late every day.”
“The young clerk had the forehead to challenge the senior partner's legal interpretation during the open meeting.”
Teaching tip
This sense is very rare in modern speech; learners should use 'nerve' or 'audacity' instead.
Etymology
From Middle English forhed, forheed, from Old English forehēafod, from Proto-West Germanic *forēhaubid, corresponding to fore- + head. Cognate with Scots foreheid (“forehead”), Dutch voorhoofd (“forehead”), German Vorhaupt (“forehead”), Danish forhoved (“brow; forehead; face”). Compare also West Frisian foarholle (“forehead”), German Low German Vörkopp (“forehead”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/forehead