one-faced
|one-faced|
/ˈwʌn.feɪst/
single-sided / having one face or aspect
Etymology
'one-faced' is a compound formed from English 'one' + 'face'. 'One' ultimately comes from Old English 'ān' (from Proto-Germanic *ainaz) meaning 'one', and 'face' comes via Old French 'face' from Latin 'facies' meaning 'face'. The adjective is formed by combining the numeral with 'face' plus the adjectival suffix '-ed'.
'one' developed from Old English 'ān' (from Proto-Germanic *ainaz). 'Face' entered English from Old French face, from Latin 'facies'. The compound 'one-faced' developed in Middle to Early Modern English by joining 'one' and 'face' with '-ed' to form an adjective describing something with a single face or aspect.
Originally the elements simply meant 'one' and 'face'; the compound first described physical objects with a single face or side and later acquired metaphorical senses such as 'having a single expression' or (rarely) 'not two-faced / straightforward'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having only one face or one side with a face; used of objects (e.g., coins, masks) that are figured or decorated on one side only.
The ancient coin was one-faced, showing the ruler's portrait on only one side.
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Adjective 2
having a single, unvarying facial expression; impassive or expressionless.
He sat through the meeting one-faced, betraying none of his thoughts.
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Adjective 3
(Figurative, rarer) Not two-faced; straightforward or not hypocritical — used to indicate that someone shows a single, consistent attitude rather than duplicity.
She was praised as one-faced in her dealings, always honest and direct.
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Last updated: 2026/01/13 18:05