facies

What it means

1. countableuncountableGeneral appearance.

   The Chilean Amphijubula Schust. (Schuster, 1970a) which has the facies of a small Frullania and agrees with Frullania in leaf insertion and branching, has a nontiered seta with 16 epidermal cell rows surrounding 4 inner rows.

   1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page 6

   1 more example

   The insects of these four islands have also a common facies - facts which seem to indicate that some more extensive land has recently disappeared from the area they now occupy, and has supplied them with a few of its peculiar productions.

   1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume II, London: Macmillan and Co., page 106

2. countableuncountablemedicineFacial features, like an expression or complexion, typical for patients having certain diseases or conditions.

   costive facies

3. countableuncountablegeographyA body of rock with specified characteristics reflecting its formation, composition, age, and fossil content.

In a sentence

The insects of these four islands have also a common facies - facts which seem to indicate that some more extensive land has recently disappeared from the area they now occupy, and has supplied them with a few of its peculiar productions.

1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume II, London: Macmillan and Co., page 106

Where it comes from

1. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
2. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁k-
3. Proto-Indo-European*dʰh₁kyéti
4. Proto-Italic*θakjō
5. Proto-Italic*fakjō
6. Latinfaciō
7. Latinfaciēs
8. Englishfacies

Borrowed from Latin faciēs (“form, configuration, figure; face, visage, countenance”). Doublet of face.