white-faced

white-faced — adjective

1. describes an animal, bird, or insect whose face area has white fur, feathers, or

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes an animal, bird, or insect whose face area has white fur, feathers, or a white marking, especially when the rest of its body is a different colour.

Example

A white-faced capuchin monkey sat on a low branch and watched the hikers pass by.

attributive: white-faced + animal species

The white-faced ibis waded through the shallow marsh looking for small fish and insects.

Common collocations
  • white-faced capuchin
  • white-faced ibis
  • white-faced hornet
  • white-faced calf
  • white-faced saki
Synonyms
  • white-cheeked

    more specific — describes white only on the cheeks rather than the whole face

  • pale-faced

    used for some animal breeds, but can also describe humans (overlaps with sense 2)

Antonyms
  • black-faced

    common in animal names for species with dark facial markings

  • dark-faced

    general opposite for any animal with a darker face

Grammar Patterns

white-faced + [animal species noun]

be + white-faced

Usage Note

Most often appears as part of a species name (white-faced capuchin, white-faced ibis). In those cases it is a fixed compound and simply labels the species rather than describing an individual animal's appearance.

Common Mistakes

I saw a white-faced man at the zoo.
I saw a white-faced capuchin monkey at the zoo.
For humans with a pale face, use sense 2 (PALE WITH FEAR). This sense is for animals and birds only.

2. describes a person whose face has become suddenly pale, typically because they h

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a person whose face has become suddenly pale, typically because they have just experienced fear, shock, illness, or extreme tiredness.

Example

Hassan looked white-faced after he heard the earthquake warning siren go off.

predicative: look + white-faced + cause

The nurse found the young patient white-faced and shaking, so she checked his temperature at once.

predicative: found + [person] + white-faced

Common collocations
  • look white-faced
  • go white-faced
  • turn white-faced
  • white-faced survivors
  • white-faced passengers
  • white-faced patient
Synonyms
  • pale

    more common and general; can describe both natural complexion and temporary paleness

  • ashen

    stronger — suggests a grey-white colour, often from severe shock or grief

  • wan

    more literary — suggests a tired, sickly paleness rather than a sudden shock reaction

  • pallid

    formal — implies unnaturally pale, often due to poor health

Antonyms
  • flushed

    opposite — red in the face from emotion, heat, or exercise

  • rosy

    describes a healthy, pink complexion

  • ruddy

    describes a naturally red-toned complexion, often from outdoor life

Grammar Patterns

look + white-faced

go + white-faced

turn + white-faced

white-faced + noun (person/people)

Usage Note

Describes a temporary change in colour caused by a specific event, not a person's natural complexion. Do not confuse with 'fair-skinned', which means permanently light skin. The cause is usually mentioned nearby.

Common Mistakes

My grandmother has a white face because she is old.
My grandmother has a pale complexion.
'white-faced' implies a sudden, temporary paleness from shock or fear, not natural fair skin.
The white-faced boy was born with light skin.
The fair-skinned boy was born with light skin.
Use 'fair-skinned' or 'light-skinned' for natural complexion.

Word family

  • white face
    noun phraseB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

All four words describe an unnaturally light facial colour, but they differ in cause and register. 'Pale' is the most common and neutral — it can describe anything from a temporary shock reaction to a naturally light complexion, and works in both conversation and writing. 'Ashen' is stronger and more dramatic, suggesting a grey-white colour like ash, typically from severe shock, grief, or trauma; you would use it for someone who has just received terrible news. 'Wan' has a more literary, slightly old-fashioned feel and implies a tired, sickly paleness that lasts for a while rather than a sudden reaction — a character in a novel who has been ill for weeks might look wan. 'Pallid' is the most formal of the group and carries a clinical tone, often used in medical writing to describe unnatural paleness due to poor health or anaemia. For everyday use, 'pale' is the safest choice; for dramatic effect, 'ashen'; for describing prolonged sickness, 'wan' or 'pallid' fit better.

pale ↗ashenwan ↗pallid ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • look white-faced
  • go white-faced
  • turn white-faced
  • white-faced with shock
  • white-faced from fear

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining the adjective 'white' (from Old English hwīt, meaning bright or gleaming) with '-faced', the past-participle form of 'face' (from Old English fæs, meaning countenance). The compound has been recorded since the 1500s in descriptions of animals with white facial markings, and by the early 1800s it was also used for people whose faces had gone pale from strong emotion or illness.