1. plural of physiognomy; facial features or expressions, especially as they reveal character
2. the practice of assessing character or personality from facial appearance
Usage: historical; pseudoscience

Examples

• The artist studied the physiognomies of her subjects before painting their portraits.
• Different cultures have varying interpretations of physiognomies and what they reveal.
• The detective noted the suspicious physiognomies of the suspects in the lineup.
• Victorian novels often described characters through detailed physiognomies.
• Modern psychology has largely rejected the validity of reading physiognomies for personality traits.
• The photographer captured the diverse physiognomies of people from around the world.