Compound Words Beginning with "Face": Meanings and Examples

Common English compounds starting with face-:

Compound	Meaning	Example
Face-lift	Surgical or cosmetic tightening of facial skin	“She had a face-lift last year.”
Face-off	Confrontation; hockey restart	“A tense face-off between rivals.”
Face-plant	Fall forward onto face	“He face-planted on the sidewalk.”
Face-painting	Decorative cosmetic art on face	“Face-painting at the fair.”
Face-saving	Preserving dignity/prestige	“A face-saving compromise.”
Face-to-face	In-person, direct	“A face-to-face meeting.”
Face-value	Nominal value; literal interpretation	“Take the offer at face value.”
Facetious	Treating serious issues with inappropriate humor	“A facetious remark.”

Note: Facetious derives from Latin facetia “jest,” not directly from face, but shares the root.