Dorian Gray effect

English

Etymology

In reference to Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), describing a handsome young man who envies his own portrait and wishes that it would grow old, rather than he.

Noun

Dorian Gray effect (plural Dorian Gray effects)

1. The phenomenon whereby a person's inner moods and emotions may come to influence their facial appearance.

Related terms

• Dorian Gray syndrome