FACIAL EXPRESSION

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does facial expression mean? 

• FACIAL EXPRESSION (noun)
  The noun FACIAL EXPRESSION has 2 senses:

1. a gesture executed with the facial muscles

2. the feelings expressed on a person's face

  Familiarity information: FACIAL EXPRESSION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FACIAL EXPRESSION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A gesture executed with the facial muscles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

facial expression; facial gesture

Hypernyms ("facial expression" is a kind of...):

gesture; motion (the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "facial expression"):

emoticon (a representation of a facial expression (as a smile or frown) created by typing a sequence of characters in sending email)

gape (an expression of openmouthed astonishment)

face; grimace (a contorted facial expression)

frown; scowl (a facial expression of dislike or displeasure)

grin; grinning; smile; smiling (a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement)

laugh (a facial expression characteristic of a person laughing)

snarl (an angry vicious expression)

straight face (a serious facial expression giving no evidence of interest or amusement)

wink (closing one eye quickly as a signal)

wince (the facial expression of sudden pain)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The feelings expressed on a person's face

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

aspect; expression; face; facial expression; look

Context example:

an angry face

Hypernyms ("facial expression" is a kind of...):

countenance; visage (the appearance conveyed by a person's face)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "facial expression"):

leer (a suggestive or sneering look or grin)

light; spark; sparkle; twinkle (merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance)

 Context examples 

Common symptoms are trouble with eye and eyelid movement, facial expression and swallowing.

(Myasthenia Gravis, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Signs and symptoms include tremor which is most pronounced during rest, muscle rigidity, slowing of the voluntary movements, a tendency to fall back, and a mask-like facial expression.

(Parkinson's Disease, NCI Thesaurus)

A progressive disorder of the nervous system marked by muscle tremors, muscle rigidity, decreased mobility, stooped posture, slow voluntary movements, and a mask-like facial expression.

(Parkinson's Disease, NCI Dictionary)

Muscles of facial expression or mimetic muscles that include the numerous muscles supplied by the facial nerve that are attached to and move the skin of the face.

(Facial Muscle, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

The scale consists of six facial expression representing varying levels of pain which correspond to a number between 0 and 10 where the 0 face represents 'no pain' and the 10 face represents 'very much pain'.

(Faces Pain Scale Revised Questionnaire, NCI Thesaurus)

They can cause underdeveloped or unusually prominent facial features or a lack of facial expression.

(Facial Injuries and Disorders, NIH)

It is characterized by facial paralysis leading to lack of facial expression and the inability to move the eyes laterally.

(Mobius Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) Facial and Oral Movements, Muscles of facial expression, e.g., movements of forehead, eyebrows, periorbital area, cheeks.

(AIMS - Muscles of Facial Expression, NCI Thesaurus)

Together they provide efferent innervation to the muscles of facial expression and to the lacrimal and salivary glands, and convey afferent information for taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and for touch from the external ear.

(Facial Nerve, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)