fa·ci·es

[fey-shee-eez, -sheez]
noun, plural fa·ci·es.
1.
general appearance, as of an animal or vegetable group.
2.
Geology. the appearance and characteristics of a sedimentary deposit, especially as they reflect the conditions and environment of deposition and serve to distinguish the deposit from contiguous deposits. Compare metamorphic facies.
3.
Medicine/Medical. a facial expression characteristic of a disease or pathological condition.
4.
Archaeology. a distinctive phase of a prehistoric cultural tradition.
Origin:
1350–1400, for an earlier sense; Middle English < Latin: form, figure, appearance, face, akin to facere to make

Related forms
sub·fa·ci·es, noun, plural sub·fa·ci·es.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To facies
00:10
Facies is always a great word to know.
So is horizon. Does it mean:
tectonic boundary where two plates are moving toward each other
thin, distinctive stratum useful for stratigraphic correlation
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Collins
World English Dictionary
facies (ˈfeɪʃɪˌiːz) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n , pl -cies
1.  the general form and appearance of an individual or a group of plants or animals
2.  the characteristics of a rock or series of rocks reflecting their appearance, composition, and conditions of formation
3.  med See Hippocratic facies the general facial expression of a patient, esp when typical of a specific disease or disorder
 
[C17: from Latin: appearance, face]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

facies fa·ci·es (fā'shē-ēz', -shēz)
n. pl. facies

  1. Face.

  2. The appearance or expression of the face, especially when typical of a certain disorder or disease.

  3. The general aspect or outward appearance, as of a given growth of flora.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
facies   (fā'shē-ēz', -shēz)  Pronunciation Key 
Plural facies

    1. A body of sedimentary rock distinguished from others by its lithology, geometry, sedimentary structures, proximity to other types of sedimentary rock, and fossil content, and recognized as characteristic of a particular depositional environment.

    2. For a metamorphic rock, the particular combination of pressure and temperature under which metamorphism occurred.

  2. The general aspect or makeup of an ecological community, especially a local modification of a community characterized by a conspicuous or abundant species that is absent or less concentrated in other locations.

  3. The appearance or expression of the face, especially when typical of a certain disorder or disease.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Example sentences from the web
These facial characteristics have subsequently be termed as being known as potter facies.
Related Words
Campignian face
face
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