twarz

Twarz is the Polish noun meaning “face.” It denotes the front part of the head that includes the eyes, nose, and mouth, as well as the overall expression of a person. In addition to its literal sense, the word is used figuratively to refer to a person’s appearance, mood, or character as perceived through the face. The term appears across everyday speech, in medical or anatomical contexts, and in descriptions of portraiture and photography.

In language use, twarz is common in expressions such as pielęgnacja twarzy (facial care) and wyraz twarzy (facial expression). The word can also appear in more formal or literary contexts, where oblicze is used as a synonym with a similar meaning, particularly in a stylistically elevated register.

Etymology and cognates: twarz is part of a West Slavic family; it has cognates in other languages, notably Czech tvář and Slovak tvár. The ancestor of these words is traced to a Proto-Slavic root related to face or appearance, though precise historical details vary by source.

Phonology and grammar: twarz is a feminine noun. It inflects for case and number like other Polish feminine nouns, with forms such as twarz (nominative singular), twarzy (genitive singular), twarzy (dative singular), twarze (nominative plural), and so on.

See also: oblicze (another term for face or countenance), facial care terminology, portraiture and representation.