dimples Small indentations in the surface of the skin, usually, though not always, on the face. The primary use of ‘dimple’ is in reference to small hollows formed by the cheeks when smiling or to a small dent in the surface of the chin. Dimples can be permanent or transient, and can occur in any part of the body with sufficient flexibility of skin and plumpness to allow their formation, including shoulders (especially in children), legs, and buttocks.

The origin of the term ‘dimple’ is obscure and, unlike most other English words describing facial features, use of the word is in evidence only relatively recently, from about the fifteenth or sixteenth century onward. Shakespeare mentions dimples in The Winter's Tale (1610–11): ‘The pretty dimples of his chin, and cheek’ (II.iii.101). Occurrences of the use of the term increase after this period.

Some anatomical uses of the term lack the pleasant connotations commonly associated with a pretty chin or cheek. Certain genetic disorders produce conditions referred to as ‘dimples’. For example, occlusions of the gastrointestinal tract can be caused by the failure to form a true anus; instead, those with this defect are born with a dent or ‘dimple’ that must be corrected by surgery.

Dimples and dimpling extend well beyond references to the body. One possible (though historically unsupported) origin of the term, the Middle High German tümpfel and modern German tümpel — pond, pool, or puddle — conveys the sense of ‘dimple’ as used to refer to depressions or dips in a geographic surface, including the dip in surrounding land made by the surface of a pond or a ‘dimple’ caused by a low spot in a meadow or hill.

Dimples are generally considered attractive features when located on the cheeks or chin. Smiling tends to enhance social interactions and life in general, and has been shown in recent studies to increase perceptions of attractiveness over neutral expressions. Dimples tend to accentuate a smile and thus may increase perceptions of attractiveness and sociability. Dimples, especially on the chin, also increase the angularity and definition of the male face, creating the impression of a strong visage. It is probably not coincidental that many of Hollywood's leading men of the ‘Golden Age’ of movies, identified with competence, strength, and fortitude, had well-defined chins or lively smiles notable for their dimples.

Jeffrey Barker

See also beauty; face.