Midface

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The central part of the face, typically including the area around the nose, cheeks, and upper jaw, is referred to as this part of facial anatomy
2. This region of the face encompasses the nose, cheeks, and upper jaw which are essential for facial structure and function
3. The area of the face that lies between the forehead and the chin, including the nasal and cheek regions, defines this anatomical section

Etymology: "Midface" is a plain compound of "mid-" and "face." The prefix "mid-" means "middle" or "middle part of," so the word names the middle section of the face, the zone running from the brow down to the chin. The word is built from English materials throughout, with no borrowed element to trace. The concept it names is the sense of "face" as a region rather than a whole. Anatomists and clinicians use the term to pick out the cheeks, nose and surrounding area as a distinct part, which is why it is useful in discussions of facial structure and surgery. The compound makes that division explicit: "face" supplies the body part, and "mid-" marks off the central band between the upper and lower regions.

Synonyms: facial middle