Blusher

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈblʌʃɚ/

Definitions

1. A cosmetic product applied to the cheeks to add color and enhance appearance ; a person who reddens in the face due to embarrassment or shyness
2. A colored powder or cream used to give the cheeks a rosy tint ; an individual prone to showing facial redness from emotions like shyness or embarrassment
3. A makeup used to brighten and tint the cheek area for a healthy look ; someone who naturally exhibits blushing when feeling self-conscious or embarrassed

Etymology: The verb "blush" has a surprisingly unglamorous ancestry: it traces back to a Middle English root meaning to shine or glow, and only later narrowed to the reddening of the face. The "-er" ending on "blusher" is the ordinary agent suffix, passed down through Old English from a Proto-Germanic form, and it simply means one who does the action. So a blusher is, literally, someone who blushes. That makes the cosmetic sense a neat extension. The product was named after the effect it imitates, the rosy flush of a healthy or embarrassed complexion, rather than after anything about the powder or the act of applying it. The same "-er" pattern gives us words like "reader" or "singer", where the suffix turns a verb into a person or thing performing it.

Synonyms: rouge, makeup, cosmetic