Cheek

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /t͡ʃiːk/

Definitions

1. The fleshy side area of the face below the eye and between the nose and ear
2. The area of facial tissue located beneath the eyes, bounded by the nose and jaw, is significant for both visual appearance and emotional expression
3. The side part of the face below the eyes and beside the nose ; a manner of speaking or acting that shows rude or impertinent confidence

Etymology: Cheek and jaw were once the same word. In Old English, "ċēce" could mean either the jaw or the cheek, and the two senses only gradually separated in English. The word's older root is even more physical: Proto-Germanic "kēkǭ" meant jaw, palate, or pharynx, the parts of the mouth used for chewing and swallowing, and it may trace back to a prehistoric root meaning "to chew." The word's relatives in other Germanic languages keep that jaw sense more visibly. Dutch "kaak" still means jaw as well as cheek, Swedish "käke" means jaw or jowl, and Old Norse "kók" referred to the mouth or gullet. Saterland Frisian "Sooke" and West Frisian "tsjeak" follow the same pattern, so English "cheek" appears to be one branch of a family whose members all describe the mouth region.

Synonyms: face, jaw, mug, countenance, visage

Antonyms: rudeness, impudence, insolence, shame, timidity