Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Subscribe

Archives



Jan 26, 2017
This week’s theme
Miscellaneous words

This week’s words
quotidian
effluvium
ineffable
visage
inexorable

“All words are pegs to hang ideas on.” ~Beecher
Send some to friends & family
Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

visage

PRONUNCIATION:
(VIZ-ij)

MEANING:
noun: Face, appearance, or expression.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Old French vis (face), from Latin visus (sight, appearance), from videre (to see). Ultimately from the Indo-European root weid- (to see), which also gave us guide, wise, vision, advice, idea, story, history, previse, videlicet, vidimus, vizard, and invidious. Earliest documented use: 1303.

USAGE:
“The poor victim’s visage grew gentler. The fury which had contracted it was followed by a strange smile full of ineffable sweetness, gentleness, and tenderness.”
Victor Hugo (translation: Isabel F Hapgood); The Hunchback of Notre Dame; 1888.

See more usage examples of visage in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
I learned compassion from being discriminated against. Everything bad that's ever happened to me has taught me compassion. -Ellen DeGeneres, comedian (b. 26 Jan 1958)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith