complexion
(Informal)
[noun]
Synonyms:
- skin, colour, colouring, hue, pigmentation, skin tone
- nature, appearance, aspect, character, guise, light, look, make-up

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Related Words: kind, sort, style, type

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

com‧plex‧ion /kəmˈplekʃən/ noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Medieval Latin complexio, from Latin, 'combination', from complexus; ⇒ complex¹]

1. [countable] the natural colour or appearance of the skin on your face:
Drinking water is good for the complexion.
pale/fair/ruddy etc complexion (=a pale, fair, red etc face)
fair-complexioned/smooth-complexioned etc
She was fair-complexioned with blonde hair.

2. [singular] the general character or nature of something:
Crime has risen under governments of every political complexion.

3. put a different/new/fresh complexion on something to make a situation or event seem different:
This document puts a different complexion on the matter.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

complexion
noun
I. colour/quality of the skin/face
ADJ. clear, flawless, fresh, glowing, healthy, lovely, nice, perfect | bad, blotchy, dull, pallid, pasty, sallow | ageing | creamy, fair, milky, pale | dark, olive, swarthy, tanned | florid, pink, rosy, ruddy a young girl with a rosy complexion
yellow | pitted | smooth
VERB + COMPLEXION have | give sb Years of heavy drinking had given Alison a florid complexion.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

complexion
II. general nature/character of sth
ADJ. serious | different, new | political, social a change in the political complexion of the council
VERB + COMPLEXION put, take on What you have told us puts quite a different complexion on the situation. The joke took on a rather serious complexion when the police became involved.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

complexion

pale (=lacking colour and often not healthy)
Her complexion was pale and spotty.
fair (=light in colour)
People with fair complexions should use plenty of sunscreen.
dark
Bright colours may suit you if your complexion is dark.
clear (=without any spots)
Eating fresh fruit and vegetables will help keep your complexion clear.
a fresh/healthy complexion (=healthy and clean)
a young man with a fresh complexion
a flawless/perfect complexion (=perfect and with no marks or spots)
Foundation is meant to give the illusion of a flawless complexion.
a tanned complexion (=brown because of the sun)
He looked distinguished with his greying hair and tanned complexion.
a ruddy complexion (=reddish in colour – used mostly about men)
He had black hair and a ruddy complexion.
a florid complexion literary (=red in an unpleasant or unhealthy way)
He had the florid complexion of a man who drinks too much.
an olive complexion (=the skin colour that is typical of Greek, Italian, Turkish etc people)
These colours complement an olive complexion.
a glowing/rosy/pink complexion (=healthy and pink – used about women or children)
a sallow complexion (=slightly yellow)
A sallow complexion can be a sign of illness.
a swarthy complexion literary (=dark)
She had never met anyone with his swarthy complexion.
a bad complexion (=with spots or marks on it)
a blotchy complexion (=with unpleasant red patches of colour in the skin)

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲