countenance

Countenance is a noun that primarily refers to the appearance or expression of a person’s face, and more broadly to their bearing or demeanor. A countenance can reveal emotion such as happiness, sadness, anger, or calm, and it may also convey character or mood through facial features and posture. In descriptions of people or portraits, countenance is used to evoke the impression a person’s facial expression or overall presence makes on observers.

The term also encompasses a person’s outward bearing or air. In literary and artistic contexts, countenance helps describe how someone presents themselves to others, whether solemn, serene, resolute, or welcoming, and it can contribute to the mood of a scene or the perception of a’s personality.

As a verb, countenance means to approve, tolerate, or give support to something or someone. To countenance a proposal is to assent or lend legitimacy to it; to refuse to countenance an action is to disallow or oppose it. The verb sense is commonly encountered in formal, legal, or policy contexts.

Etymology traces countenance to Old French contenance, meaning appearance or face, with entrance into English in the Middle Ages. It is related to terms in other Romance languages that express appearance, expression, or demeanor. In modern usage, the noun sense remains primary, while the verb sense of approval is most common in formal discourse.