What does jowl mean?
A jowl is the fleshy area of the lower cheek or lower jaw. The word is especially associated with skin that hangs loosely beneath the cheek, often as a result of age, and is therefore usually used in the plural, as in “sagging jowls.” It can also refer more generally to the lower cheek of a person or animal. In human description, the term tends to be somewhat unsparing and may imply heaviness, age, or a lack of refinement, though its force depends heavily on context. Elsewhere, especially in writing about animals, it can simply identify the physical feature without carrying a critical judgement. Compared with the broader word “cheek,” “jowl” is more specific, while “jaw” usually denotes the underlying bone and joint rather than the surrounding flesh.
nounThe lower jaw, especially the fleshy part beneath the cheek that can sag or bulge. By extension, it refers to a prominent cheek or the area around the lower face.
- The lower jaw, especially when covered by loose or sagging flesh.
- The fleshy cheek or lower cheek of a person or animal.
"Age had left him with heavy jowls and a solemn expression."
"The boxer clenched his jaw and tightened the muscles beneath his jowls."
"The dog rested its heavy jowls on the porch railing."
Usually plural, particularly when describing the loose flesh beneath the cheeks of an older person.
"Her jowls shifted as she shook her head."
A jowl is best known as the part of the face that can make a stern expression look unexpectedly soft.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does jowl come from?
The word descends from Middle English “jole,” meaning the chin or jaw, which continued an Old English term for the chin or lower face. The modern spelling developed in the early modern period, and the word’s later use for the fleshy part around the lower jaw followed from this older anatomical sense. Its precise relationship to other words for the jaw is not sufficiently clear to state as a certain cognate relationship.
Related word forms
How jowl is actually used
The word is most commonly used in the plural, especially for the sagging flesh beneath the cheeks of an older person. It is generally descriptive rather than complimentary and can sound disparaging when used about people.
Easily confused with jowl
Jaw refers to the bone and hinge forming the lower part of the face, whereas a jowl is the fleshy area around the jaw and cheek.
Cheek is the general term for the side of the face, while jowl more specifically suggests the fleshy part below the cheek and around the lower jaw.