long-faced
UK[ˌlɒŋ ˈfeɪst]US[ˌlɔːŋ ˈfeɪst]
adj
having a sad, gloomy, or disappointed expression
Morpheme Breakdown
long
face
ed
long
extended
face
front of head
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
the compound adjective 'long-faced' is a relatively modern english formation, drawing from the literal imagery of a face pulled downward in a somber expression, thus appearing 'longer'. the word 'long' originates from proto-germanic langaz, carrying the sense of extended duration or length, while 'face' derives from latin 'facies', meaning appearance or form. the figurative use leverages the universal human association between a downward-drawn facial posture and feelings of sadness or disappointment, concretizing an abstract emotional state into a visible, physical descriptor. this metaphorical construction follows a common pattern in english where bodily features are used to describe emotional conditions.
Analysis
Structure: long (extended) + face (front of head) + ed (adjective suffix)
long (old english, meaning 'extended in space or time'); face (old french, from latin 'facies', meaning 'form, appearance, face'); ed (old english, suffix forming adjectives from nouns)
Examples
he came out of the manager's office looking long-faced.
there's no need to be long-faced; we can try again tomorrow.
the long-faced crowd left the stadium after their team's defeat.