The Hippocratic face (facies Hippocratica in Latin) is the change produced in the face by impending death or long illness, excessive evacuations, excessive hunger, and the like.
" appearance may be described thus: the nose sharp, the eyes sunken, the temples fallen in, the ears cold and drawn in and their lobes distorted, the skin of the face hard, stretched and dry, and the colour of the face pale or dusky…and if there is no improvement within, it must be realized that this sign portends death."
The Hippocratic face is so called because it was first described by Hippocrates.
A related term is cachexia.
Famous quotes containing the word face:
“See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by;
then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.””
—Bible: Hebrew, Exodus 33:21-23.