What does "physiognomist" mean?
One who studies, or is an expert in, physiognomy; one who studies the outer appearance of the person (primarily the face) to acquire knowledge of the inner personality.
Physiognomist
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who studies, or is an expert in, physiognomy; one who studies the outer appearance of the person (primarily the face) to acquire knowledge of the inner personality.
- Grammar: physiognomist is listed as noun.
- Usage evidence: We shall never be able to claim any credit as a physiognomist again, for, after a careful scrutiny of this gentleman's countenance, we had come to the conclusion that it bespoke nothing but conceit and silliness, when our friend with the silver staff whispered in our ear that he was no other than a doctor of civil law.
How to use "physiognomist"
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "physiognomist" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who studies, or is an expert in, physiognomy; one who studies the outer appearance of the person (primarily the face) to acquire knowledge of the inner personality.
"We shall never be able to claim any credit as a physiognomist again, for, after a careful scrutiny of this gentleman's countenance, we had come to the conclusion that it bespoke nothing but conceit and silliness, when our friend with the silver staff whispered in our ear that he was no other than a doctor of civil law."
Example
"We shall never be able to claim any credit as a physiognomist again, for, after a careful scrutiny of this gentleman's countenance, we had come to the conclusion that it bespoke nothing but conceit and silliness, when our friend with the silver staff whispered in our ear that he was no other than a doctor of civil law."
Common questions
How do you use "physiognomist" in a sentence?
We shall never be able to claim any credit as a physiognomist again, for, after a careful scrutiny of this gentleman's countenance, we had come to the conclusion that it bespoke nothing but conceit and silliness, when our friend with the silver staff whispered in our ear that he was no other than a doctor of civil law.
Etymology
From physiognomy + -ist.