What does facelift mean?
A facelift is a surgical procedure designed to counteract the visible effects of ageing by tightening the skin and underlying tissues of the face, smoothing wrinkles and sagging. The formal medical term is rhytidectomy, but 'facelift' is by far the more familiar word in everyday use. Beyond medicine, the term has taken on a widespread figurative meaning: any renovation, redesign, or cosmetic improvement that makes something look newer or more attractive, as when a town square, a hotel, or a brand receives 'a facelift'. This figurative use is informal but entirely standard in both British and American English, appearing frequently in journalism about urban regeneration and product updates. The word carries mildly cosmetic connotations — sometimes associated with vanity — yet it remains a versatile, vivid way to describe transformation that is chiefly about appearance rather than substance.
nounA cosmetic surgical procedure to tighten and smooth the skin of the face, reducing visible signs of ageing; more broadly, any renovation or makeover that gives something a fresher appearance.
- A cosmetic surgical operation to remove wrinkles and tighten sagging skin on the face.
- An informal sense: a renovation or refurbishment that improves the appearance of a building, area, or object.
"The theatre underwent a multi-million-pound facelift ahead of its centenary celebrations."
"After decades of sun exposure, she finally decided to have a facelift."
"The council gave the town square a facelift with new paving, benches, and lighting."
Standard plural; used both for multiple surgical procedures and for multiple renovations.
"Demand for facelifts has risen steadily over the past decade."
The word 'facelift' was born in Hollywood — coined around the dawn of plastic surgery in the early twentieth century, it became one of the first cosmetic procedures to enter everyday speech.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of facelift
The word facelift is a compound of the plain English words 'face' and 'lift', formed in the early twentieth century alongside the rise of cosmetic surgery itself, with early uses tied to pioneering plastic surgeons working in Europe and America. Because it is built from native English roots rather than borrowed from Latin or Greek, it has no classical cognates; instead, it belongs to a productive family of English 'lift' compounds such as uplift and liftoff. Its rapid spread reflects how readily English coins transparent compounds for new technologies.
How facelift is actually used
The word is informal in its extended 'renovation' sense but neutral when referring to the surgical procedure, which is formally called rhytidectomy. It is common in both British and American English and often appears figuratively in journalism about urban regeneration or product redesign.
Easily confused with facelift
A 'lift' is a general act of raising something (or a British term for an elevator), while a 'facelift' specifically refers to facial surgery or a cosmetic renovation of a place or thing.