Facer

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfeɪsə(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. An individual who confronts or looks directly at someone or something ; a tool or machine attachment used to smooth or shape a surface, especially in machining
2. Someone who confronts an opposing person or situation ; a mechanical device or component designed to produce a flat or finished surface on materials
3. A person confronting another or an obstacle ; equipment part applied to create a smooth, flat finish on an object, commonly used in industrial processes

Etymology: Facer is one of those words where the history is plain: it is simply "face" with the suffix "-er" added, and the suffix does most of the work. The "-er" ending turns a noun into a person or thing associated with it, so a facer is someone who faces something, whether that is an opponent or an obstacle. The sense of a tool that gives a surface a smooth, flat finish follows the same logic, since the machine part faces the workpiece. The noun "face" itself has a long pedigree. It came into English from Old French "face", which descended from Late Latin "facia", and ultimately from Latin "facies", meaning appearance, form or visage. The Latin root connects it to "facere", to make or do, so a face is, at bottom, the form something is made in.

Synonyms: face, visage, countenance