Word of the Week: Beatific

Beatific (adjective)

Pronounced:

bee-uh-TIFF-ik

Definitions:

1: of, possessing, or imparting a state of utmost bliss
2: having a blissful appearance

Example Sentence:

Though exhausted after a long labor, a beatific smile broke out across Maria’s face the moment she first held her newborn daughter.

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There’s a lot of truth in that simple nursery song: “If you’re happy and you know it, you’re face will SURELY show it.” Regardless of language and cultures, smiles are universally recognized as an expression of happiness.

As simple as it is to smile, there’s a lot of interesting trivia about this facial expression. For example, did you know..

When a person studies laughter they are known as a ‘gelotologist’?

Women smile more than men?

Infants reserve a particular smile only for their love ones?

There are over 18 different types of smiles that are used in a variety of social situations? For instance, people can use a smile to say a hello, and they can also use a different type of smile to show their understanding of a particular situation.

A frown uses more muscles to contract and expand then a smile does?

A smile is one of the most used human facial expressions? Smiles can use between 5 to all 53 muscles.

Smiling releases endorphins and makes us feel better? Even when you fake a smile you can feel better.

A person that smiles more is deemed to be more pleasant, sincere, attractive and sociable then a non-smiling person?

We are born with the ability to smile; it is not something that we copy? Even blind babies are able to smile.

Humans are able to differentiate between a real smile and a fake smile by seeing the difference in a person’s eyes when they smile?

Newborns tend to have more preference for a person with a smile then a person that is not smiling?

Fun facts taken from infobarrel.com