wheyface: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low / ArchaicLiterary / Archaic / Historical
Quick answer
What does “wheyface” mean?
A person with a pale, pallid, or cowardly-looking face.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person with a pale, pallid, or cowardly-looking face.
A person who is cowardly, easily frightened, or lacking in spirit, as suggested by a pale complexion. Historically used to denote someone of poor character or low social standing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant contemporary difference. The term is equally archaic and literary in both varieties.
Connotations
Historical/literary, pejorative. The connotation of cowardice linked to paleness is less intuitive for modern speakers without context.
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern use, confined to discussions of historical texts, particularly Shakespeare.
Grammar
How to Use “wheyface” in a Sentence
[Subject] is a wheyface.[Subject] called [Object] a wheyface.You wheyface!Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “wheyface” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Not used as a verb)
American English
- (Not used as a verb)
adverb
British English
- (Not used as an adverb)
American English
- (Not used as an adverb)
adjective
British English
- (Not used as a standard adjective)
American English
- (Not used as a standard adjective)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in literary analysis of historical texts, especially Shakespeare.
Everyday
Not used; would be confusing.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “wheyface”
- Using it in modern conversation.
- Interpreting it literally as a facial skin condition.
- Using it as an adjective (e.g., 'He looked wheyface'). It is a noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic literary term. You will almost never encounter it outside of historical texts or discussions about them.
It literally means 'a face the colour of whey' (the pale, watery part of milk that separates from the curds). This pallor was associated with fear or sickness.
He is its most famous user (in 'Macbeth'), but the word likely existed in the language before him. He popularized it in a memorable insult.
It's possible as a deliberate, learned archaism among friends who understand literary references, but it will sound very odd and obscure to most people. It is not part of active modern vocabulary.
A person with a pale, pallid, or cowardly-looking face.
Wheyface is usually literary / archaic / historical in register.
Wheyface: in British English it is pronounced /ˈweɪfeɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈ(h)weɪˌfeɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(none directly; the word itself is metaphorical)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the pale, watery liquid left after making cheese (whey). A 'whey-face' is someone whose face goes as pale and colourless as whey when they are scared.
Conceptual Metaphor
FEAR/COWARDICE IS PALENESS (The physical effect of fear—loss of blood from the face—stands for the character trait).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'wheyface' be MOST appropriately used today?