Dictionary

expression en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɛkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/
• (US) audio
• /əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French expression, from Late Latin expressiō, expressiōnem (“a pressing out”). Morphologically express + -ion.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.
   • There are lots of great actresses who dress beautifully, but in the modern day, nearly all of them use stylists. They may know what they like—when they’re presented with gowns and outfits, they’re perfectly equipped to say yes or no—but you rarely get the sense that what they’re wearing is a true expression of who they are. 2025 October 11, Stephanie Zacharek, “The Astonishing Versatility of Diane Keaton”, in TIME:
2. (countable, uncountable) A particular way of phrasing an idea.
3. (countable, uncountable) A colloquialism or idiom.
   • The expression "break a leg!" should not be taken literally.
4. (countable, uncountable) A facial appearance usually associated with an emotion.
   • The best poker players can tell if the opponents have a good hand by looking at their expression.
   • They stared at the newcomer with a puzzled expression.
   • Her expression changed from joy to misery after realising her winning lottery ticket had expired.
   • At any other time Jessamy would have laughed at the expressions that chased each other over his freckled face: crossness left over from his struggle with the baby; incredulity; distress; and finally delight. 1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 122:
   • Eustace gaped at him in amazement. When his urbanity dropped away from him, as now, he had an innocence of expression which was almost infantile. It was as if the world had never touched him at all. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 9, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
5. (countable, uncountable) An arrangement of symbols denoting values, operations performed on them, and grouping symbols.
6. (countable, uncountable) The process of translating a gene into a protein.
7. (countable, uncountable) A piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value.
8. (countable, uncountable) A specific blend of whisky.
9. (countable, uncountable) The act of pressing or squeezing out.
   • Breast milk expression can be achieved by hand or with a pump.
   • expression from a gland
   • However the mechanical expression of juice led to an improvement of the solutes extraction from mash.
10. (countable, uncountable) The tone of voice or sound in music.
11. (countable, qualifier:mostly preceded by with, uncountable) Emotional involvement or engagement in a text read aloud rendered by the voice of the reciter or the reader.
    • The number of children who could read with expression would be very small ; ... 1849, Great Britain. Committee on Education, Minutes of the Committee of Council on Education; with appendices. 1847-8-9. England and Wales. Schools of Parochial Unions, etc, page 154:
    • Think of reading words like reading music. When you read with expression, your audience will understand and appreciate your “performance.” Name ... 2014, Edward Fry, Timothy Rasinski, High Frequency Word Phrases Level 3--Reading with Expression, Teacher Created Materials, →ISBN, page 43:
    • To read with expression, readers must know when to pause appropriately, must know when to change their tone to reflect the emotions of different characters, ... 2010, Kimberly A. Henry, How Do I Teach this Kid to Read?: Teaching Literacy Skills to Young Children with Autism, from Phonics to Fluency, Future Horizons, →ISBN, page 72:
    • 1976, Aline D. Wolf, Tutoring is Caring: You Can Help Someone to Read, Parent Child Press Perhaps when you were learning to read , you were asked to stand and " read with expression " for your classmates
    • I cannot say that all read with expression. Indeed , this power is hardly to be expected in young children . And though “ to read with expression ... 1864, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons, page 170:

Forms

Deriveds

expressive · surexpression · expression template · free expression · subexpression · expressionist · expressional · dysexpression · inexpression · expression stop · hypoexpression · nonexpression · underexpression · S-expression · overexpression · viscoexpression · expressionless · infraexpression · upexpression · s-expression · express · freedom of expression · misexpression · downexpression · immunoexpression · hyperexpression · multiword expression · symbolic expression · RNA expression pattern · expressionism · expression of interest · pardon the expression · reexpression · coexpression · gender expression · R-expression · agroexpression · superexpression · neoexpression · facial expression · multi-word expression · microexpression · synexpression · simplified expression · expressible · bioexpression · gene expression · expressionful · self-expression · RNA expression profile · expressionlet

Hyponyms

linguistic expression (Hyponyms of expression) · arithmetic expression (Hyponyms of expression) · logical expression (Hyponyms of expression) · regular expression (Hyponyms of expression) · fixed expression (Hyponyms of expression) · s-expression (Hyponyms of expression) · lambda expression (Hyponyms of expression) · el expression (Hyponyms of expression) · immediately-invoked function expression (Hyponyms of expression)

Relateds

expression pedal

Translations (357)

fi ilmentymä (process of translating a gene into a protein) · fi ilmaisu (particular way of phrasing an idea) · cs vyjádření (particular way of phrasing an idea) · sl izraz (particular way of phrasing an idea) · de Wendung (colloquialism or idiom) · fi määritelmä ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · ro expresie (particular way of phrasing an idea) · sl izraz (facial appearance) · ia expression (colloquialism or idiom) · cmn 用語 /用语 (particular way of phrasing an idea) · tg ифода (colloquialism or idiom) · sv min (facial appearance) · lt išraiška (facial appearance) · sk výraz (facial appearance) · ar سِيمَاء (facial appearance) · ug ئىپادە (colloquialism or idiom) · sk vyjadrenie (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ko 표현 (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ja 表現 (colloquialism or idiom) · is tjáning (colloquialism or idiom) · sh и̏зра̄з (particular way of phrasing an idea) · kmr biwêj (colloquialism or idiom) · bg и́зраз (colloquialism or idiom) · sh ȉzrāz ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · ga nath cainte (colloquialism or idiom) · ru выраже́ние (facial appearance) · de Ausdruck ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · it espressione (colloquialism or idiom) · kk өрнек (colloquialism or idiom) · hu -nyilvánítás (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · da udtryk (colloquialism or idiom) · cmn 表達方式 /表达方式 (colloquialism or idiom) · fa-ira عِبارَتِ جَبْری (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · de Ausdruck (facial appearance) · fi lauseke ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · haw maka (facial appearance) · uz ifoda (colloquialism or idiom) · cs výraz (facial appearance) · nb uttrykk (particular way of phrasing an idea) · mi kupu whatinga (colloquialism or idiom) · nrf expression (colloquialism or idiom) · sl izražanje (process of translating a gene into a protein) · ka გამოთქმა (particular way of phrasing an idea) · hu formula (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · uz ibora (colloquialism or idiom) · ar تَعْبِير (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · he אֲמִירָה (colloquialism or idiom) · ro expresie (facial appearance) · is segð (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · ka გამომეტყველება (facial appearance) · eo esprimilo (colloquialism or idiom) · nb uttrykk (facial appearance) · fa-ira بَیان (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · eo esprimo ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · da udtryk (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · ca expressió (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · ga dreach (facial appearance) · bg изява (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · km សំនួន (colloquialism or idiom) · be вы́раз (facial appearance) · th สำนวน (colloquialism or idiom) · km កន្សោម ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · sh ȉzrāz (particular way of phrasing an idea) · gd abairt (particular way of phrasing an idea) · af uitdrukking ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · mi kīwaha (colloquialism or idiom) · pl wyraz twarzy (facial appearance) · ia expression (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · hu beleélés (involvement in a text one reads aloud) · sv uttryck (colloquialism or idiom) · es expresión (colloquialism or idiom) · be вы́раз (particular way of phrasing an idea) · es expresión (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · mk и́зраз (facial appearance) · it espressione (facial appearance) · el ιδιωματισμός (colloquialism or idiom) · uk висло́влювання (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · fa-ira اِبْراز (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · el παράσταση (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · ru выраже́ние ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · tr ifade (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · is svipur (facial appearance) · pt expressão (particular way of phrasing an idea) · fr expression (colloquialism or idiom) · pt expressão (process of translating a gene into a protein) · ja 言い回し (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ru выда́вливание (the act of squeezing out) · de Ausdruck (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ca expressió (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · ko 식 ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · pt expressão (facial appearance) · ja 表現 (particular way of phrasing an idea) · he הַבָּעָה (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ca expressió (colloquialism or idiom) · af uitdrukking (colloquialism or idiom) · nl spreekwijze (colloquialism or idiom) · hu kifejezőkészség (involvement in a text one reads aloud) · fr expression (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · fa-ira قِیافِه (facial appearance) · kmr îbaret (colloquialism or idiom) · hy արտահայտություն (colloquialism or idiom) · hu szólás (colloquialism or idiom) · is segð ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · fi lauseke (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · ja 表情 (facial appearance) · el μορφασμός (facial appearance) · ky туюнтма (colloquialism or idiom) · et ilme (facial appearance) · ru выраже́ние (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · mn нүүрний байдал (facial appearance) · hu beszédfordulat (colloquialism or idiom) · de Redensart (colloquialism or idiom) · ia expression (facial appearance) · id ekspresi (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · cmn 表達式 /表达式 ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · cs výraz ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · de Auspressen (the act of squeezing out) · af uitdrukking (particular way of phrasing an idea) · lv izteiksme (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · eo idiomaĵo (colloquialism or idiom) · af uitdrukking (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · sk výraz (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · id ruas (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · et sõnastus (particular way of phrasing an idea) · cmn 表示 (colloquialism or idiom) · hu expresszió (process of translating a gene into a protein) · pl ekspresja (process of translating a gene into a protein) · af uitdrukking (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · vi vẻ (facial appearance) · az qiraət (involvement in a text one reads aloud) · uk зво́рот (colloquialism or idiom) · ka სახის გამომეტყველება (facial appearance) · sv uttryck (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · cmn 表示 (particular way of phrasing an idea) · it espressione (particular way of phrasing an idea) · cmn 基因表達 /基因表达 (process of translating a gene into a protein) · tg иборат (colloquialism or idiom) · de Redewendung (colloquialism or idiom) · az ifadə (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ka გამოხატვა (colloquialism or idiom) · uk ви́раз (colloquialism or idiom) · hu kinyilvánítás (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · el όρος (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · sl izraz ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · hy արտահայտություն (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · tg ибора (colloquialism or idiom) · ca expressió (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ia expression ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · ar تَعْبِير (colloquialism or idiom) · cmn 表達 /表达 (particular way of phrasing an idea) · el έκφραση (facial appearance) · lo ສຳນວນ (colloquialism or idiom) · mk и́зраз (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · lv teiciens (colloquialism or idiom) · cmn 成語 /成语 (colloquialism or idiom) · fa-ira عِبارَت (colloquialism or idiom) · ia expression (particular way of phrasing an idea) · tr ibare (colloquialism or idiom) · tr ifade (colloquialism or idiom) · pl wyciskanie (the act of squeezing out) · vi biểu thức (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · nl wijze van spreken (colloquialism or idiom) · sh и̏зра̄з (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · ko 식 (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · it espressione ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · cmn 表達 /表达 (colloquialism or idiom) · hi इबारत (colloquialism or idiom) · id ungkapan (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ca expressió ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · lv izteiksme (facial appearance) · fr expression (process of translating a gene into a protein) · ps افاده (colloquialism or idiom) · tr anlatım (particular way of phrasing an idea) · sh ȉzrāz (colloquialism or idiom) · lv izteiksme (particular way of phrasing an idea) · es expresión ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · hu kifejezés ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · gd abairt (colloquialism or idiom) · et ütlus (colloquialism or idiom) · is svipbrigði (facial appearance) · ro expresie (colloquialism or idiom) · pl ekspresja (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · nl uitdrukking (particular way of phrasing an idea) · be зваро́т (colloquialism or idiom) · sl izraz (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · mk и́зраз (colloquialism or idiom) · vi từ ngữ (colloquialism or idiom) · fi ilme (facial appearance) · eo esprimo (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · ps اصطلاح (colloquialism or idiom) · nb uttrykk (colloquialism or idiom) · mk изразу́вање (particular way of phrasing an idea) · pl wyraz (colloquialism or idiom) · af gesigsuitdrukking (facial appearance) · uz iborat (colloquialism or idiom) · de Ausdruck (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · sl izražanje (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · sl izraz (colloquialism or idiom) · el έκφραση (particular way of phrasing an idea) · de Miene (facial appearance) · kmr îbare (colloquialism or idiom) · be вы́раз (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · id air muka (facial appearance) · nrf expression (facial appearance) · sk výraz ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · pl wyrażenie (colloquialism or idiom) · da udtryk (facial appearance) · sl izražanje (involvement in a text one reads aloud) · pl ekspresja (involvement in a text one reads aloud) · sk expresia (process of translating a gene into a protein) · sv uttryck (facial appearance) · nrf expression (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · cy mynegyn (facial appearance) · nl uitdrukking (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · tr ifade (facial appearance) · eo mieno (facial appearance) · da udtryk (particular way of phrasing an idea) · el ύφος (facial appearance) · id ungkapan (colloquialism or idiom) · mk изразу́вање (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · de Redeweise (particular way of phrasing an idea) · pl zwrot (particular way of phrasing an idea) · vi biểu thức ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · da udtryk ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · ur عِبارَت (colloquialism or idiom) · yi אויסדרוק (facial appearance) · ru оборо́т (colloquialism or idiom) · lt išreiškimas (colloquialism or idiom) · az ifadə (facial appearance) · ca expressió (process of translating a gene into a protein) · lb Ausdrock (particular way of phrasing an idea) · cs výraz (colloquialism or idiom) · sv uttryck (particular way of phrasing an idea) · he ביטוי \ בִּטּוּי (colloquialism or idiom) · ko 표현 (colloquialism or idiom) · he ביטוי \ בִּטּוּי (particular way of phrasing an idea) · sh ȉzrāz (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · hu megfogalmazás (particular way of phrasing an idea) · pt expressão ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · sv inlevelse (involvement in a text one reads aloud) · cs výraz (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ko 수식 (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · ja 式 ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · ms ungkapan (colloquialism or idiom) · pt expressão (colloquialism or idiom) · sq agór (facial appearance) · bg и́зраз (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · gl expresión (particular way of phrasing an idea) · eo esprimo (facial appearance) · hu kifejezés (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · tl pahayag (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · ru выраже́ние (particular way of phrasing an idea) · fr expression (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ca expressió (facial appearance) · el έκφραση (colloquialism or idiom) · sv ansiktsuttryck (facial appearance) · sk výraz (colloquialism or idiom) · nl gelaatsuitdrukking (facial appearance) · hy արտահայտություն (facial appearance) · fi ilmaus (colloquialism or idiom) · fi ilmaisu (colloquialism or idiom) · fa-ira بَیان (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ia expression (process of translating a gene into a protein) · it espressione (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · uk ви́слів (colloquialism or idiom) · sh ȉzrāz (facial appearance) · et avaldumine (process of translating a gene into a protein) · cmn 說法 /说法 (particular way of phrasing an idea) · de Ausdruck (colloquialism or idiom) · es expresión (facial appearance) · sk výraz (particular way of phrasing an idea) · pl mina (facial appearance) · th สีหน้า (facial appearance) · hi मुहावरा (colloquialism or idiom) · hu arckifejezés (facial appearance) · fa-ira اِصْطِلاح (colloquialism or idiom) · hy արտահայտություն (particular way of phrasing an idea) · mk и́зраз ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · hu szófordulat (colloquialism or idiom) · bg израже́ние (facial appearance) · la verbum (particular way of phrasing an idea) · hu átélés (involvement in a text one reads aloud) · es expresión (process of translating a gene into a protein) · ko 표정 (facial appearance) · pt expressão (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · nrf expression (particular way of phrasing an idea) · sv uttryck ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · es modismo (colloquialism or idiom) · ja 数式 (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · wa ratourneure (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ar تَعْبِير (particular way of phrasing an idea) · uk ви́раз (facial appearance) · sh и̏зра̄з ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · cmn 表情 (facial appearance) · fa-ira عِبارَت (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · nb mine (facial appearance) · hu fordulat (colloquialism or idiom) · ru выраже́ние (involvement in a text one reads aloud) · acw تَعْبِير (particular way of phrasing an idea) · uk ви́слів (particular way of phrasing an idea) · eo esprimo (particular way of phrasing an idea) · sq shprehje (colloquialism or idiom) · my နိဒ္ဒေသ (colloquialism or idiom) · tr ifade (particular way of phrasing an idea) · hu kifejezésmód (particular way of phrasing an idea) · cs výraz (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · et avaldis (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · mi kīanga (particular way of phrasing an idea) · de Redensart (particular way of phrasing an idea) · uk ви́раз (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · la vultus (facial appearance) · el διατύπωση (particular way of phrasing an idea) · mi kīanga (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · id curahan (particular way of phrasing an idea) · cmn 說法 /说法 (colloquialism or idiom) · mk и́зраз (particular way of phrasing an idea) · pl zwrot (colloquialism or idiom) · pl wyrażenie ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · pl wyrażenie (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · cmn 表達 /表达 (process of translating a gene into a protein) · sh и̏зра̄з (colloquialism or idiom) · es expresión (particular way of phrasing an idea) · nl uitdrukking (colloquialism or idiom) · bg изразя́ване (particular way of phrasing an idea) · hu szóhasználat (colloquialism or idiom) · lv izteiciens (colloquialism or idiom) · az ibarə (colloquialism or idiom) · it espressione (process of translating a gene into a protein) · hu ábrázat (facial appearance) · tr ifade ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · vi thành ngữ (colloquialism or idiom) · ar عِبَارَة (colloquialism or idiom) · ka გამოთქმა (colloquialism or idiom) · hu kifejezés (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · el διατύπωση (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · az ifadə (colloquialism or idiom) · he הַבָּעָה (facial appearance) · fr expression (facial appearance) · fr expression ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · et ekspressioon (process of translating a gene into a protein) · nl uitdrukking (facial appearance) · yi אויסדרוק (colloquialism or idiom) · cmn 表達式 /表达式 (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · et avaldis ((computing) a piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value) · cmn 式子 (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · hu kifejezés (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ro expresie (mathematics: arrangement of symbols) · ru выраже́ние (colloquialism or idiom) · ckb دەرخستن (particular way of phrasing an idea) · eu aurpegi-espresio (facial appearance) · id ekspresi (facial appearance) · sh и̏зра̄з (facial appearance) · is tjáning (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · pl wyrażenie (particular way of phrasing an idea) · ru выраже́ние (action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.) · fi ilmaus (particular way of phrasing an idea) · be вы́раз (colloquialism or idiom)