baby-faced
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
All three words describe someone who appears younger than they are, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Youthful-looking' is the broadest — it can describe energy, posture, or skin, not just the face. 'Fresh-faced' adds the idea of clear, healthy skin and often suggests moral innocence or inexperience ('a fresh-faced intern'). 'Young-looking' is the most general and can apply to any part of a person's appearance. 'Baby-faced' is the most specific: it highlights a round facial shape and smooth features, which is why it is often used for people who are taken as less serious or less experienced because of their face. A 50-year-old could be 'young-looking' without being 'baby-faced' — but a 'baby-faced' person almost always looks young.
Common collocations
Etymology
Formed by combining 'baby' (a very young child, from Middle English babe) with '-faced' (having a particular kind of face, from Old English fæs). The compound adjective has been in use since the early 19th century, originally describing people whose facial features were round, soft, and smooth like a baby's, a usage that was often unflattering when applied to adults in positions of authority.