facies

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Biology The general aspect or outward appearance, as of a given growth of flora.
2. n. Medicine The appearance or expression of the face, especially when typical of a certain disorder or disease.
3. n. Geology A rock or stratified body distinguished from others by its appearance or composition.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The face; specifically, in anatomy, the facial part of the skull or of the head.
2. n. Features, visage, countenance, or physiognomy.
3. n. Hence The whole outside figure; the general configuration.
4. n. Hence The general aspect or appearance of anything; superficial characteristics or features; specifically, the general aspect which an organism presents at the first view, before the details have been considered separately: as, the facies of a country; the facies of a fauna. In zoölogy often used comparatively, in the sense of aspect or appearance: as, having the facies of Cicindela (that is, like in general appearance, but not necessarily in structure).
5. n. Specifically — In geology, the entirety of the lithologic and paleontologic characteristics resulting from the external conditions which determine the existence of any particular fauna or flora for a given region. These characteristics are defined by physical conditions, such as climate, altitude, or bathymetry, and the geological or chemical nature of the medium.
6. n. In phytogeography, the physiognomy or characteristic appearance of a vegetation, depending upon the one or several species which predominate in it; or, the characteristic growth itself. A plant formation has one facies when there is one controlling species, and several when there are several such. See character-plant.
7. n. In petrography, the different modifications of one mass of igneous rocks, distinguished by their texture, or by their mineral or chemical composition: as, granitic and porphyritic facies of a dike: a gabbro facies of a diorite mass.

Wiktionary

1. n. plurale tantum Appearance.
2. n. plurale tantum, medicine Facial features, like an expression or complexion, typical for patients having certain diseases or conditions (e.g. costive facies).
3. n. geology A body of rock with specified characteristics reflecting the way it was formed.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The anterior part of the head; the face.
2. n. (Biol.) The general aspect or habit of a species, or group of species, esp. with reference to its adaptation to its environment.
3. n. (Zoöl.) The face of a bird, or the front of the head, excluding the bill.