human-faced
|hu-man-faced|
/ˈhjuːmən.feɪst/
having a human face
Etymology
'human-faced' originates from English compounding of 'human' and 'face'. 'Human' ultimately comes from Latin 'humanus', where 'homo' or the root related to 'hum-' meant 'man' or 'human being', and 'face' comes from Old French 'face', from Latin 'facies', where 'facies' meant 'appearance' or 'face'.
'human' came into English via Old French and Latin ('humanus'), while 'face' entered English from Old French 'face' (from Latin 'facies'); the compound 'human-faced' is a transparent modern English formation combining these elements to mean 'having a human face'.
Initially, the separate elements referred straightforwardly to 'human' and to 'face'; combined in modern English the compound has retained the literal meaning 'having a human face' and has also developed occasional figurative uses to describe humanlike expressions.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of being human-faced; the condition of having a human-like face (noun form derived from the adjective).
The creature's human-facedness drew intense interest from biologists.
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Adjective 1
having a face that is human in appearance; possessing features that resemble a human face.
The ancient idol was human-faced, with lifelike eyes carved into stone.
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Adjective 2
figuratively, showing human facial expressions or qualities; suggesting human emotions or traits by appearance.
The puppet's design made it unexpectedly human-faced, conveying a sense of sorrow.
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Last updated: 2026/01/15 20:21