# "όψη" as "human face"



## διαφορετικός

I have read (on Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής ) that the word όψη can mean the human face and especially its expression.
But I did not find a satisfying usage example.
The problem is that this meaning of όψη can easily be confused with "appearance" in general (since this is another meaning of όψη). So is it really true that it can specifically mean "face"? Are there unambiguous examples?


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## Perseas

"όψη" (< όπ-σις ) has "οπ" in its stem which refers to "eye", "see".
So yes, its basic meaning is the face (the front part of the head between the forehand and the chin), but it also means facial expression (which is a very common usage).
"appearance" (εμφάνιση) can sometimes mean "όψη" as well but it's a wider term.
"όψη" also means "side" or "aspect": _το νόμισμα έχει δύο όψεις/the coin has two sides._
"όψη" can be used figuratively: _Άλλαξε η_ όψη_ του κόσμου μετά τον τελευταίο πόλεμο. (όψη του κόσμου-how the world looks)_


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## διαφορετικός

Thanks for your reply, Perseas.

Is the following usage acceptable?

"The ants crawled on his face and on his hands."
«Τα μυρμήγκια έτρεχαν στην όψη του και στα χέρια του.»


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## Perseas

διαφορετικός said:


> Is the following usage acceptable?
> 
> "The ants crawled on his face and on his hands."
> «Τα μυρμήγκια έτρεχαν στην όψη του και στα χέρια του.»


I had to read the English sentence to understand it   , but no , it doesn't work. Here fits "πρόσωπο".
But "Τα μυρμήγκια έτρεχαν στην όψη του" could mean that "the ants started to crawl, when they saw him".


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## διαφορετικός

Can you make an example with όψη meaning "face" (the part of the body), but not meaning "expression of the face" or "appearance of the face"?


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## Perseas

διαφορετικός said:


> Can you make an example with όψη meaning "face" (the part of the body), but not meaning "expression of the face" or "appearance of the face"?


The meaning of "όψη" is exactly the face in relation to its appearance or expression.

You can use interchangeably "πρόσωπο" and "όψη" e.g. in "θλιμμένο πρόσωπο"/"θλιμμένη όψη" or "από την όψη του κατάλαβα ότι ήταν κουρασμένος"/"από το πρόσωπό του κατάλαβα ότι ήταν κουρασμένος". But again the facial appearance is on the focus for both words.

You can't say "Τα μάτια, η μύτη και το στόμα βρίσκονται στην όψη", but "στο πρόσωπο".


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## διαφορετικός

Thank you, Perseas, this was what I wanted to know mainly.

My next (but minor) concern is the difference between όψη as an aspect of the face and όψη as an aspect of a whole person. In which contexts is it possible to distinguish those meanings?

I think it is not possible in the example: "Ο πατέρας μου έχει κουρασμένη όψη." I would translate this to: "My father looks tired." Or even: "My father seems to be tired." I would not refer to his face in English, although the father's facial expression might have led to the conclusion that he is tired. But it might also have been his behaviour.

Are there examples where the word όψη cannot refer to the whole person, but only to the face?


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## Perseas

διαφορετικός said:


> Are there examples where the word όψη cannot refer to the whole person, but only to the face?


Although "όψη" can by itself mean "facial appearance", as we saw,  you can use "η όψη του προσώπου".

Speaking of humans, you can by "όψη" refer  to the whole appearance of someone, but the face has the central position.


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## διαφορετικός

Many thanks, Perseas. I have got it.


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