Origin: Latin suffix -al
Facial has 6 different meanings across 2 categories:
cranial nerve that supplies facial muscles
"The doctor explained that the facial nerve controls the movement of my smile after the stroke."
care for the face that usually involves cleansing and massage and the application of cosmetic creams
"She booked an appointment at the spa to receive a facial, hoping the cleansing and cream treatments would leave her skin glowing."
A personal care beauty treatment which involves cleansing and moisturizing of the human face.
"After a long day at work, she decided to book an evening facial to refresh her skin before bed."
In plain English: A facial is a special treatment for your face that cleanses and refreshes your skin.
"The facial is usually done after lunch to help relax the skin."
Usage: As a noun, facial refers to a specific skin-care treatment that includes cleansing and moisturizing the face. Use this term when describing a professional beauty service rather than simply referring to the physical features of one's face.
of or pertaining to the outside surface of an object
"The artist spent hours smoothing the facial scratches on the antique wooden table before polishing it again."
Of or affecting the face.
"The severe sunburn left red patches across his facial skin, making him avoid going outside during peak hours."
In plain English: Facial means something that has to do with your face, like facial expressions or facial hair.
"The facial recognition system scanned her face to unlock her phone."
Usage: Use "facial" to describe anything located on or related to the human face, such as a facial expression or a facial cream. Avoid using it for non-human faces unless you are specifically referring to the anatomy of another creature.
The word facial entered English in the early 17th century from Medieval Latin. It originally described something that was "face-to-face" or direct before coming to mean anything related to a face.