Word of the Day ~ Philtrum

philtrum

PRONUNCIATION:

(FIL-truhm)              

 

MEANING:

noun: The vertical groove below the nose and above the upper lip.

NOTES:

The line of the upper lip is known as Cupid's bow for its resemblance to the shape of a bow. While the ancients thought the groove above the upper lip had something to do with love, modern doctors have found that a smooth philtrum is one of the symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin philtrum (love potion, groove under the nose), from Greek philtron (love potion, groove under the nose). Earliest documented use: 1609.