facial index
Noun: A craniometric measurement expressed as a percentage, calculated by dividing the maximum width of the face (bizygomatic breadth) by its maximum height (from nasion to gnathion) and multiplying by 100. It is used in anthropology and forensic science to classify and compare human skull shapes and facial proportions.
The term is used in technical, academic, and scientific contexts, primarily within physical anthropology, osteology, archaeology, and forensic medicine. It describes a quantifiable, standardized metric for human morphological analysis. - The facial index is a key measurement in craniometry. - Researchers calculated the facial index to compare the two populations. - A high facial index indicates a long, narrow face (leptoprosopic), while a low index indicates a broad, short face (euryprosopic).
- The average facial index for the sample group was 89.5, categorizing them as mesoprosopic.
- Forensic anthropologists used the skull's facial index to help create a facial approximation.
- Variations in the facial index can provide clues about ancestry and population history.
- Hyperleptoprosopic: A very high facial index (over 98).
- Hypereuryprosopic: A very low facial index (under 80).
- The facial index is one of several indices (e.g., cranial index, nasal index) used in a comprehensive osteological analysis.
- Cranial Index: A similar ratio comparing the maximum width and length of the cranium.
- Nasal Index: A ratio comparing the width and height of the nasal aperture.
- Craniometry: The scientific measurement of skulls, of which the facial index is a part.
- Prosopic Index: A synonymous term for facial index.
- Prosopic Index (technical synonym)
- Facial ratio (descriptive synonym)
This term has a single, highly specific technical meaning within its field of use. It is not used in everyday language and does not have idiomatic or phrasal verb forms.
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the ratio (in percent) of the maximum width to the maximum height of the face
