95. Complexion

See also 370. SKIN .

achromasia

absence of pigmentation in the skin.

chlorosis

greensickness; a disease of girls in puberty, characterized by, among other symptoms, greenishness of the complexion.

erythrism

a redness of beard and hair and ruddiness of complexion. —erythristic, erythrismal , adj.

erythromania

a mania for blushing.

etiolation

paleness of color as a result of illness or exclusion from light. See also 319. PLANTS .

floridity

the condition of being florid or highly colored, especially reddish, used especially of the complexion. — florid , adj.

greensickness

chlorosis.

icterus

jaundice.

jaundice

a disease of the liver, characterized by, among other symptoms, yellowness of the skin. Also called icterus .

melanism

darkness or blackness of eyes, hair, or complexion.

rubescence

1. the state, condition, quality, or process of becoming or being red.

2. a blush.

3. the act of blushing. —rubescent , adj.

rubicundity

reddishness or ruddiness, especially of the complexion. —rubicund , adj.

telangiectasis

a chronic condition of dilatation of the capillaries and other blood vessels, as seen in the reddish faces of heavy drinkers and people whose faces are continually exposed to cold climates. —telangiectic , adj.

xanthochroid

a person with light-colored hair and fair complexion. —xanthochroid, xanthochroous , adj.

com·plex·ion / kəmˈplekshən/ • n. 1. the natural color, texture, and appearance of a person's skin, esp. of the face: an attractive girl with a pale complexion.2. the general aspect or character of something: Congress's new complexion became boldly apparent last summer.DERIVATIVES: com·plex·ioned adj. [often in comb.] they were both fair-complexioned.ORIGIN: Middle English: via Old French from Latin complexio(n-) ‘combination’ (in late Latin ‘physical constitution’), from complectere ‘embrace, comprise.’ The term originally denoted physical constitution or temperament determined by the combination of the four bodily humors, hence sense 1 (late 16th cent.) as a visible sign of this.

complexion combination of the four humours of the body, (hence) bodily constitution and (further) habit of mind XIV; natural texture of the skin XV. — (O)F. — L. complexiō, -ōn- combination, association, (late) bodily habit, f. complex-; see prec. and -ION.