poker-faced
UK[ˈpəʊkə feɪst]US[ˈpoʊkər feɪst]
adj
having a face that shows no emotion or reaction so that people cannot tell what one is thinking or feeling.
Morpheme Breakdown
poker
faced
poker
card game
faced
having a face
Etymology
the term 'poker-faced' is a 19th-century americanism derived from the card game poker. in poker, players strategically maintain an expressionless demeanor to conceal the strength of their hand from opponents, a practice known as keeping a 'poker face'. the compound adjective 'poker-faced' literalizes this strategy, applying the concept to any person who displays a similarly inscrutable and emotionless expression in general social or professional contexts. it exemplifies how a specific term from gaming culture entered broader usage to describe a universal human behavior.
Analysis
Structure: poker (card game) + faced (having a face)
'poker' originates from the name of the card game, itself of uncertain origin, possibly from German 'pochspiel'. 'faced' is from middle english, from old french 'face', from vulgar latin 'facia', meaning countenance or appearance. in this compound, '-faced' is a combining form meaning 'having a (specified kind of) face'.
Examples
the negotiator remained poker-faced throughout the tense discussions.
she gave a poker-faced response to the surprising news, revealing nothing.
you have to be poker-faced when playing cards with him; he reads every twitch.