Frown
/fraʊn/noun
To contract the brows in displeasure or concentration; a facial expression of anger or disapproval.
Did you know?English frown is an old native word, and its earliest relatives point to a sudden, forceful action—so the gesture itself was once felt as a kind of warning signal, almost like body-language with teeth.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
frūnian
“to scowl or look sullen”
Middle English
ME
frounen / frownen
“to contract the brows in displeasure”
14th–15th Century
English
frown
“a scowling look or expression of disapproval”
Modern English
English
frown
“to draw the brows together in anger, concentration, or concern”