baby-face
B2Informal, colloquial
Definition
Meaning
A person with facial features considered characteristically juvenile, such as smooth skin, large eyes, a small nose, and full cheeks, making them look much younger than their actual age.
A term used in entertainment or sport to describe a young-looking, attractive performer or athlete; also, a colloquial term for someone who appears innocent or lacks maturity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Used as both a noun (referring to the person) and an adjective (describing the person or their features). Can carry both neutral/descriptive and slightly pejorative connotations of immaturity or lack of seriousness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling may be hyphenated ('baby-face') or as one word ('babyface') with 'babyface' being more common in American usage. The term is used identically in meaning.
Connotations
In both varieties, it often implies a youthful, attractive look, but can sometimes suggest a lack of credibility or authority in serious contexts due to looking young.
Frequency
Equally used and understood in both varieties. Common in pop culture, entertainment, and everyday conversation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Person/Subject] has/possesses/boasts a baby-face.[Person/Subject] is a real/hopeless baby-face.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “baby-face of the team/squad/band”
- “to have a baby-face that belies one's age/experience”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; if used, often in a lighthearted or slightly negative way (e.g., 'He struggled for authority in meetings with his baby-face').
Academic
Not used. The formal equivalent would be 'paedomorphic facial features' or 'neotenous traits'.
Everyday
Very common in informal descriptions of appearance (e.g., 'My new doctor has such a baby-face!').
Technical
Used descriptively in fields like criminology ('the baby-face bias'), casting, or modelling.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- He's the most baby-faced lad in our year.
- They cast a baby-faced actor for the schoolboy role.
American English
- She has a baby-faced innocence about her.
- The baby-faced rookie surprised the veteran players.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The boy has a cute baby-face.
- She looks young because of her baby-face.
- My brother is 25, but he still has a baby-face.
- People often don't believe I'm the manager because of my baby-face.
- Despite his baby-face, he's a very experienced and tough lawyer.
- The band's new drummer is a real baby-face, but he plays like a veteran.
- His perennial baby-face has been both a blessing for his acting career and a curse when seeking serious roles.
- The phenomenon known as the 'baby-face bias' suggests that people with juvenile features are often perceived as more honest but less competent.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a famous actor or singer who is over 30 but could still play a teenager – that's the classic baby-face look.
Conceptual Metaphor
YOUTH IS A BABY'S FACE (A person's appearance is conceptualized in terms of infantile features).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not literally translate as 'ребенок-лицо'. Use descriptive phrases like 'детское лицо', 'молодое лицо'.
- The hyphenated/one-word form is a set term, not a free combination.
Common Mistakes
- Using it in formal writing.
- Spelling it as two separate words without a hyphen ('baby face') is common but 'baby-face' or 'babyface' is standard.
- Confusing it with 'face like a baby' which is not a fixed expression.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the term 'baby-face' most likely be used negatively?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be, implying youthfulness and attractiveness. However, in contexts where maturity or authority is expected, it can be a subtle criticism, suggesting someone looks naive or inexperienced.
Yes, it is used for people of any gender. Synonyms like 'doll-faced' are sometimes used specifically for women, but 'baby-face' is common.
Both 'baby-face' (hyphenated) and 'babyface' (one word) are standard. Dictionaries often list the hyphenated form. 'Baby face' as two separate words is also widely seen but is less standard as a fixed compound.
Yes, in biology and psychology, the term is 'neotenous' (exhibiting neoteny – the retention of juvenile features into adulthood).